Murillo is a Brazilian center-back born in 2002. He came through the youth ranks of SC Corinthians in the Brazilian league and is currently a starting center-back for Nottingham Forest.
Today, we will analyze him.
Murillo’s market value is estimated at €55 million according to Transfermarkt(as of March 2025)
Murillo Scouting Report |
♦ Player Profile
Nationality : Brazil
Date of Birth : 4 July 2002
Height : 184cm
Weight : 79kg
Possible Positions : Center Back
Preferred Foot : Left
Youth Clubs :
São Bernardo FC(2017)
União Barbarense(2018)
SC Corinthians(2019~2023)
Senior Career :
SC Corinthians(2023)
Nottingham Forest FC (2023~Present)
Murillo – 2023/24, 2024/25 Premier League Stats (As of March 2025)
| Season(League) | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Minutes Played |
| 2023-24 | 32 | 0 | 2 | 2,789 |
| 2024-25(As of March 2025) | 28 | 1 | 0 | 2,478 |
Murillo : Strengths, Weaknesses & Playing Style Analysis
♦ Key Strengths :
-
Ground Duels
-
Progressive Dribbling
♣ Weakness :
-
Aerial Duels
-
Passing Accuracy
90-Minute stats comparison of seven players in the same position from the same league in the 24/25 season
According to statistical comparisons, Murillo prefers to push forward with progressive dribbling when necessary. He has a high dribble success rate and, although not included in the table, he attempts dribbles about once per game, which is significantly more frequent than other center-backs (who average around 0.2 to 0.4 dribbles per game).
However, compared to other center-backs, he has a weakness in passing accuracy. His defensive style involves aggressively stepping out to clear the ball, leading to high clearance numbers, but sometimes he makes inaccurate judgments, allowing dribblers to get past him easily.
Nevertheless, this is an area that can be improved with experience.
♦ Conclusion
Murillo, a left-footed Brazilian center-back, came through SC Corinthians’ youth system and is now in his second season as a regular starter for Nottingham Forest, playing every game from the start.
Murillo’s playstyle involves stepping out aggressively to clear the ball when needed or winning possession before advancing high up the pitch with his solid dribbling skills, allowing him to pass or shoot. A center-back who can push forward brings numerical superiority in tactical setups, causing confusion for the opposition and forcing defenders to commit, which creates space. This is one of the key reasons why big clubs are keeping an eye on him.
He is a player with both clear strengths and weaknesses.
Murillo is not the tallest center-back, but he is solid and physically strong, making him highly effective in ground duels. As a left-footed center-back, a valuable asset in modern football, he also possesses the ability to drive forward with the ball when necessary.
However, he struggles in aerial duels due to his relatively short stature. In set-piece situations, he sometimes misjudges the ball’s trajectory, allowing opponents free header opportunities. His aerial ability can be a weakness at times, but Nottingham Forest has addressed this by partnering him with Nikola Milenković, a defender with an aerial duel success rate of over 70–80% each season, effectively compensating for Murillo’s shortcomings in this area.
♦ Summary
Since joining Nottingham Forest, Murillo has been a key player under Nuno Espírito Santo, playing as a starting center-back and contributing significantly to the team’s strong performance this season.
Chelsea, Liverpool, and other big clubs have shown interest in him. While he has qualities that make him an attractive target for top teams, his dependence on a partner with strong aerial ability remains a concern. It will be interesting to see which club he joins in the future and how a new coach might maximize his strengths while minimizing his weaknesses.
Another Progressive Center-Back: Riccardo Calafiori