Chelsea have started their Club World Cup campaign in topsy-turvy fashion, so Enzo Maresca will undoubtedly be keen on seeing more from his team.
The competition won’t be the only thing he has his eyes on over the coming weeks, especially as the summer transfer window is now in full swing.
Maresca is keen to improve his squad, and with qualification for the Champions League secured, money is available in abundance.
Players such as Jamie Gittens and Mohammed Kudus have been linked with the Blues as of late, but is it the defence that perhaps needs the most work done this summer?
Chelsea transfer news
While links to attacking players seem to pop up most days, Maresca is still chasing a defender or two.
Benfica star Tomas Araujo emerged as a transfer target last week, while Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite is reportedly on the club’s shortlist.
One player whom Maresca is also keen on is Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, according to football.london.
The report states that nothing has advanced on bringing another defender to Stamford Bridge, but things could change quickly, as they have set their sights on the central defender.
Murillo has been valued at £80m in the past by his club, indicating that if Chelsea are serious, they may need to stump up the cash.
If so, he could turn out to be the next Thiago Silva for Chelsea, no doubt about that.
Why Chelsea must sign Murillo
Former Chelsea defender Silva is still going strong back in his homeland with Fluminense. Indeed, he was arguably one of the finest players on the pitch against Borussia Dortmund at the grand old age of 40.
He made over 150 competitive appearances for Chelsea between 2020 and 2024, winning the Champions League in the process, as a terrific Brazilian centre-back for the Blues.
|
Thiago Silva’s Chelsea statistics |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2023/24 |
38 |
4 |
1 |
|
2022/23 |
35 |
0 |
5 |
|
2021/22 |
49 |
3 |
2 |
|
2020/21 |
34 |
2 |
0 |
Silva commanded the backline superbly and was a born leader. Murillo may only be 22, but he could have the potential to have a career just as good as his compatriot.
He was excellent for Forest last term, and his performances saw him rank highly across a range of metrics when compared to others in Europe’s top five leagues.
Not only did he rank in the top 3% for blocks (1.95) per 90, but the defender also ranked in the top 7% for clearances (7.03) and in the top 2% for successful take-ons (0.76), which proves he is capable of shining both defensively and going forward.
Hailed as “monstrous” by journalist Ryan Taylor earlier this year, the Brazilian defender may not be the finished article just yet, but it won’t be long before he blossoms.
The youngster lived up to that praise by winning an impressive 60% of his total duels last term, while he was dribbled past on just 0.5 occasions per game in the top flight.
If Maresca wishes to improve his defensive options, then signing Murillo could be a wise choice.
The club struggled at times last year from a defensive viewpoint, conceding 59 goals in all competitions.
Signing the Forest man would certainly shore up the backline and provide the club with another sublime Brazilian centre-back to lead the defence once again.
Related
Chelsea open discussions over signing £86m Club World Cup sensation
He’s emerged as an intriguing target for BlueCo.
