Tottenham Hotspur are now eyeing a summer move for an “incredible” Premier League star, as they look to improve their defence.
Thomas Frank couldn’t offer any assurance that Cristian Romero will remain in north London, after the defender was critical of Tottenham’s lack of activity in the January transfer window.
When asked whether Romero will stay at Spurs, the Dane said: “That’s a question I have no idea about. Right now he is the captain, he has a long-term contract and we signed a new contract with him.”
The Argentinian certainly didn’t do himself any favours with his performance in the 2-0 defeat against Manchester United on Saturday, leaving his side in the lurch by receiving a red card after just 29 minutes.
However, a recent report from TEAMtalk has revealed the Lilywhites have no plans to let the club captain force an exit, but there are doubts over the future of Luka Vuskovic, with Bayern Munich pushing hard to sign the Croatian.
As such, Tottenham are now identifying centre-back targets for the summer transfer window, and Nottingham Forest star Murillo is among them, as they want to strengthen their defence regardless of whether the likes of Romero, Vuskovic and Micky van de Ven leave.
There is no shortage of options on the shortlist for Spurs, with it being revealed they are also looking at Benfica’s Antonio Silva, Club Brugge’s Joel Ordonez and Toulouse star Charlie Cresswell.
Murillo could be “incredible” signing for Tottenham
Tottenham may be forced to bring in a new centre-back this summer, if one of their current players pushes for an exit, and there are indications the Forest defender could be the ideal addition to the backline.
Crucially, the Brazilian has proven himself over a sustained period in the Premier League, with journalist Ryan Taylor waxing lyrical about his performance against Liverpool last season.
The 23-year-old is comfortable in possession, as evidenced by the fact he’s averaged 39.1 accurate passes per 90 in the Premier League this season, the third-highest figure in the Forest squad, while an average of 1.6 interceptions ranks him in first place.
The £75k-a-week defender is not the only Premier League star Tottenham have their eye on, with it recently being revealed they are also targeting Aston Villa attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers.
Signing Murillo and Rogers would be savvy business, given that both players are already proven in the Premier League, but Forest are in a strong negotiating position, with the Brazil international under contract until 2029.
