Bayern face transfer battle with Chelsea over defensive star | OneFootball

FC Bayern wants to strengthen its central defense. For one candidate, the Munich club could now face competition from Chelsea.

FC Bayern could face serious competition in the race for defender Murillo from Nottingham Forest. After multiple reports that the Munich side have been monitoring the Brazilian center-back, the Spanish outlet Fichajes now reports: Chelsea are also interested in Murillo — and the English club apparently believe they hold the better cards in the pursuit of the 25-year-old.

According to the report, the Blues are planning to make a move next summer. Chelsea want to restructure their defense and see Murillo as an important building block for the future. The Premier League club is said to be confident of impressing both financially and with its sporting project. Nottingham are reportedly demanding at least 50 million euros in transfer fees for the defender — an amount that Bayern could also pay in principle, should talks become concrete.

The Munich club have apparently been tracking Murillo for months. According to the BILD podcast “Bayern Insider,” the Brazilian is on the watch list of sporting director Max Eberl and is considered an “interesting name” for the upcoming transfer window. His athleticism, tackling strength, and composure in build-up play are particularly valued. Murillo is under contract with Nottingham Forest until 2029 — without a release clause, which is likely to make any transfer more complicated and expensive.

Murillo impresses at Nottingham Forest

The 1.84-meter-tall left-footer moved from Brazil to the Premier League in 2023 and impressed right away. With his maturity, vision, and courage on the ball, he is regarded as one of the best young center-backs in the league. His market value is currently around 45 million euros — and rising.

Photo: IMAGO

At Bayern, however, Murillo remains just an option — the focus is still on preferred target Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace. According to “Bayern Insider,” the record champions plan to start talks with Guehi and his management from January 1, 2026, once he is officially allowed to negotiate with other clubs. Eberl is considered a big fan of the England international, who fits the profile perfectly as a leader and ball-playing defender.

How serious Bayern ultimately are about Murillo depends heavily on the situation surrounding Dayot Upamecano. His contract runs until 2026, and talks over an extension remain stalled. If no agreement is reached, the Munich club would have to react — and could be forced to sign a new center-back in the summer.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.