Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo expresses confidence that there is a considerable amount of untapped potential in Nottingham Forest defender Murillo. Despite being a regular presence in the starting lineup, the Brazilian has accumulated only 25 appearances in the Garibaldi. It’s important to note that Murillo is still relatively inexperienced at the first-team level, particularly in English football.
At just 21 years old, Murillo had limited experience, having featured only a few times for Corinthians before signing with the City Ground last summer. However, upon breaking into the side, he made a quick and positive impression. While acknowledging that there are areas of improvement in his game, Nuno is optimistic about the bright future that lies ahead for the young centre-back.
Regarding his collaboration with Murillo, the Reds boss expressed, “It was a nice surprise. I didn’t know him very well. But since we have started working together, I’ve been impressed by his quality.”
The Reds boss further commented on Murillo’s development, stating, “There are a lot of details he can still improve on, but he has performed really well, and I think he has all the characteristics to become even better. He is fast, he is good on the ball, he is a good defender. He is doing really well.”
“When we arrived, he was already here and playing. So, it was about continuing the work Steve (Cooper) was already doing with him and trying to raise his standards. We set him a very high level because I believe he can reach that. Nevertheless, Nuno is keen to ensure Murillo doesn’t get caught up in any hype. He wants the player’s focus to be on continuing to improve his level of performance to aid Forest’s fight for Premier League survival.”
There were speculations about Murillo potentially earning a call-up to the Brazil national squad for their upcoming friendlies against England and Spain. However, he was not included in the squad when it was announced last week. When asked about Murillo’s potential deserving of a cap, Nuno, ahead of the clash with Brighton and Hove Albion, commented, “Come on, the best thing we can do for Murillo is for everybody to keep our feet on the ground. We have to realize he is 21 years old and he has come to a different country and a different competition.”