Chelsea Shortlist Nottingham Forest Defender Ahead of Summer Transfer Window

The Blues are preparing for a busy offseason and have identified Murillo as a potential target.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 6:53am

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting the action of a soccer match, with players and the field broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color in a palette of deep blues, emerald greens, and burnt oranges.Chelsea's search for defensive reinforcements takes a cubist turn as the club considers new talent to shore up its backline.Chelsea Today

According to reports, Chelsea have shortlisted Nottingham Forest center-back Murillo as a potential transfer target ahead of the upcoming summer window. The Blues were quiet in January but are expected to be more active in the coming months as they look to address several positions in their squad, including center-back.

Why it matters

Chelsea have struggled defensively this season, keeping just four clean sheets since Liam Rosenior took over as manager, with only one of those coming in the Premier League. The club has been plagued by injury issues, particularly the ACL injury to Levi Colwill before the start of the season, and is now looking to strengthen its backline.

The details

Murillo, a 35-appearance player for Nottingham Forest this season, has been previously linked with Chelsea. The Blues are also reportedly interested in Brighton's Jan Paul van Hecke as they seek to add proven Premier League experience to their squad. Rosenior has hinted that there are still 'hurdles' to be cleared regarding the situation with Enzo Fernandez, though he did not elaborate further.

  • Chelsea were quiet in the January transfer window.
  • Levi Colwill suffered an ACL injury before the start of the current season.

The players

Murillo

A center-back for Nottingham Forest who has made 35 appearances in all competitions this season and has been linked with a potential move to Chelsea.

Levi Colwill

A Chelsea player who suffered an ACL injury before the start of the current season.

Enzo Fernandez

A Chelsea player whose situation, according to manager Liam Rosenior, still has 'hurdles' to be cleared.

Liam Rosenior

The current manager of Chelsea.

Jan Paul van Hecke

A center-back for Brighton who has also been linked with a potential move to Chelsea.

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What they’re saying

“There are still 'hurdles' which need to cleared.”

— Liam Rosenior, Chelsea Manager

The takeaway

Chelsea's defensive struggles this season have prompted the club to identify potential transfer targets to strengthen their backline, with Nottingham Forest's Murillo and Brighton's Jan Paul van Hecke emerging as potential options. The club's efforts to address these issues will be closely watched by fans as they look to improve their defensive record.