Murillo: I dream of playing Champions League but Nottingham Forest the best place for me now

Nottingham Forest’s player of the season Murillo has declared his commitment to the club and is focused on staying for at least another year.

In an exclusive interview from Forest’s training camp in Murcia, £60-million rated Murillo has revealed his dream to eventually play in the Champions League after making a remarkable impact in English football.

Signed for just over £10 million from Corinthians last summer, the 22-year-old centre-back’s emergence last season has sparked interest from heavyweight clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Atletico Madrid.

Forest will demand a huge fee for the Brazilian if any clubs make offers, and are under no pressure to sell after last season’s points deduction for breaching financial rules.

Yet Murillo has delivered Forest a huge pre-season boost by insisting he is fully focused on completing another campaign at the City Ground.

“I need regular game-time and really feel that with Forest I’m in the best place for my career,” he said.

“Staying here for another season will enable me to mature as a player and eventually become better prepared if the chance ever comes to play at another level one day.

“Of course I want to eventually play in the Champions League. When I was growing up I’d play video games and play with all those teams.

“Whenever I hear that classic music before the games it moves me, and it would be a dream to play in that competition.

“But I’ve been focusing on my work here 100 per cent and I just want to do my best. Forest is a massive club in its own right and I feel good here.”

Murillo’s stellar rise over the last 12 months has generated massive interest back in his home country, with more Brazilians following Forest’s official Instagram account than English fans.

A former futsal player, Murillo made his senior first-team debut for Corinthians only in April last year before making the leap to the Premier League.

Forest would go on to avoid relegation by six points but it could have arguably been a stickier situation if Murillo had not performed to such a consistent level.

He has become a cult hero with supporters, renowned for heroic goalline clearances, laser-precision passing and audacious shots on goal from his own half.

“It was a season where I learned a lot and at first I wasn’t sure whether I would prove my value,” he said.

“I always believed in my potential but was questioning myself. With a lot of work I managed to have a good season and, God willing, it will be even better this season.

“I still believe I can do better. As a team we also believe we will fight for a better position and have higher ambitions.”

Murillo returned to São Paulo over the summer to marry his partner, Mabili, and another long-term ambition is to play for Brazil’s senior team.

He was only 22 in July but is impressively mature for his years, admitting his mother Dona Rosa remains a huge influence after his father, Fabio, tragically died when Murillo was a boy.

“She has made so many sacrifices for me since the early days and always supported me,” he said.

“I lost my dad when I was 10 so she has done the role of a mum and dad. She has been crucial to my development as a football player and a man.

“I take great pride and am thankful that I have the means to provide for her and make sure she is always happy and healthy. She deserves all of this.”

Before Murillo leaves for the second session of the day, with temperatures over 35 degrees, he admits there is one final burning ambition.

“I am so desperate to score this season,” he says, laughing. “I came so close last season but this year I promise the fans I will do it.

“My main role is obviously to defend but I do want a goal. Maybe I tried to score too many beautiful goals and should be a little more simple.

“I’ve only tried to chip the goalkeeper from my own half in England. It was one of the first things I noticed when I came here, that goalkeepers are always off their line.

“This season I will hopefully end the wait.”