Liverpool target Premier League defender as potential replacement for Virgil van Dijk: report

Van Dijk, along with Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, forms a trio of key players who may potentially leave at the end of the season.

Losing Van Dijk would mean a gaping hole at the heart of Liverpool’s defence, so signing an adequate replacement would be essential. And they might have found the man ready-made to be Van Dijk’s successor.

Murillo on Liverpool's radar amid Van Dijk uncertainty

According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool have identified Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo as a top target, regardless of whether or not Van Dijk leaves.

Murillo has excelled for Forest so far this season, helping his side to fifth in the Premier League standings. Nuno Espirito Santo’s team are second only to Liverpool (six) for the fewest goals conceded in the division (10).

And Murillo has played a huge part in that defensive resilience. The 22-year-old is physically imposing, athletic and technically strong, capable of both bullying attacking players and playing the ball out from defence.

It’s no surprise, then, that Liverpool are believed to be interested. They are not alone, with Chelsea reportedly tracking Murillo’s development at Forest.

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If Liverpool cannot do a deal to sign Murillo, they could reportedly move instead for Sporting centre-back Goncalo Inacio or RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba, who has also been linked with Real Madrid.

As things stand, though, Liverpool are in no real need of defensive reinforcement, given their exceptional record in the Premier League so far. Arne Slot’s league leaders have kept six clean sheets from their 11 matches and have the best xG conceded (9.3) of any team in the top flight.

Much is likely to depend on Van Dijk’s future and the asking price set by Forest, who will themselves be harbouring big ambitions after such a strong start to the season. Murillo is under contract until 2028, so Forest’s negotiating position will be strong.

In FFT’s view, Murillo would be an excellent addition for any top Premier League team. At 22, he has plenty of time to further develop and would allow Liverpool to begin something of a rebuild at the back, with Van Dijk turning 34 in the summer.