United on alert as fierce rivals prepare €80m bid to seal deal for resilient Samba star – report

If Manchester United are to sign a centre-back this summer, they are likely to target Nottingham Forest’s Murillo. Signing Premier League-proven talent in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo has turned out to be a transfer masterstroke. The genius of those moves has led United to first consider talent from within the league to bolster key positions, before looking elsewhere for other brilliant options. Murillo: the Premier League centre-back United have been following While considering adding defensive depth, the Red Devils are reportedly eyeing Forest’s Murillo. The Samba star, who Football Transfers argues plays like Real Madrid’s Éder Militao, has seemingly caught United’s eye. They must have been impressed by his exceptional ball-playing ability, his high-speed recoveries, and his aggressive, forward-thinking defending. At just 23 years old, INEOS must feel that, with his brilliance and Premier League pedigree, signing Murillo could see their central defence set for years to come. He, Ayden Heaven, and Leny Yoro could form both the present and the future of United’s backline. United ready to hijack any Liverpool move for Murillo For that to materialise, though, journalist Sebastien Vidal is now claiming the Manchester Reds are willing to hijack Liverpool’s move for the centre-back. Vidal reports: “Liverpool are preparing an offensive for Murillo. The Brazilian defender from Nottingham Forest has become one of the most promising centre-backs in the Premier League. [He] now tops the Reds’ list for the summer. An offer around €80 million (£69.2m) is being considered… but Manchester United are also following the file very closely.” Liverpool prépare une offensive pour Murillo. Le défenseur brésilien de Nottingham Forest, devenu l’un des centraux les plus prometteurs de Premier League, figure désormais en haut de la liste des Reds pour l’été. Une offre autour de 80 M€ est envisagée… mais Manchester United… — Sébastien Vidal (@SebEcrivainFoot) March 8, 2026 Rather than watching rivals go ahead and sign their top targets like Murillo, United will put up a fight, which is exactly what the fans expect from the club. Necessary move Beating Liverpool to Murillo’s signature would be a massive coup for United. With Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt both injury-prone, he could be the perfect defender to recruit, ensuring levels in United’s backline do not drop when injury strikes. Alongside a top left winger and brilliant midfield signings, winning Murillo’s signature could be scary, not for United and their fans, but for everyone else. Featured image Clive Mason via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Daniel Onguko Dan is a writer with The Peoples Person, an avid Manchester United fan whose passion for the Red Devils evolved into writing about them. He was introduced to United back in 2008, and his love for the club has continued to grow ever since. Like every other United fan, he believes the club will soon return to its rightful place and strives to reflect that belief in his writing. While he has also written about other Premier League sides, including Arsenal for Just Arsenal and The Arsenal Analysis Blogspot, Dan lives and breathes Manchester United.