Chelsea hold fresh talks about signing £70m star after Arsenal abandon race - journalist

Chelsea have now reopened talks to sign a Premier League star – who Arsenal decided not to buy.

The Blues have a lot of work to do to bridge the gap on Arsenal nowadays – after the Gunners pushed Manchester City close in successive titles races, whereas Chelsea have finished 12th and sixth in the last two seasons.

Now, Chelsea have decided to reopen talks with a player Arsenal did want to sign as they aim to bridge this gap…

Chelsea reopen Murillo talks with Nottingham Forest

A story from Gianluigi Longari now claims that Chelsea have returned to the negotiating table to discuss a deal with Nottingham Forest for Murillo.

The reliable Italian journalist adds that Chelsea now see the Brazilian as a primary target for the summer.

It comes after Dean Jones claimed that Arsenal no longer want to sign Murillo.

That may be down to the fact Arsenal are close to signing Bologna No.33 Riccardo Calafiori – but whatever the reason, Chelsea are now looking to take advantage.

Murillo enjoyed a spectacular debut campaign in the Premier League last season following a £15m move from Corinthians in August 2023, winning Nottingham Forest’s Player of the Year award.

The Brazilian even came close to scoring a potential Puskas contender from inside his own half against Tottenham – nearly netting remarkable strikes against Luton and Crystal Palace as well.

For a central defender, Murillo is quite the entertainer – to say the least.

Arsenal have made the right decision

While Murillo is a tremendous player who could become a superstar – given the fact he is still only 22 years of age – we can understand why Arsenal have focused on Calafiori.

The Italy international – who is also 22 – only looks set to cost £42m, whereas Nottingham Forest are said to value Murillo at £70m after his outstanding 2023/24 campaign.

As we all know, Premier League clubs are tough to negotiate with, given the fact they have less of a need for cash through sales thanks to the vast amount of broadcasting payments.

Therefore, Arsenal have been wise to avoid negotiating with Nottingham Forest, instead turning attentions towards the more cash-strapped Bologna, who reside in a division that is incomparable to the Premier League financially.

READ MORE: Arsenal can now sign “world class” player for free after club make official announcement

Be sure to keep an eye on this situation, as Arsenal close in on Calafiori.