UNSTOPPABLE DEFENDER: WHY MURILLO IS THE PERFECT CHELSEA CENTER-BACK
Chelsea is targeting Nottingham Forest defender Murillo (£80m) as the necessary upgrade to Tosin Adarabioyo, whose form and style don't suit Maresca's system.
Enzo Maresca's first season at Stamford Bridge, where he won multiple titles, showed he could lead Chelsea for years. There's a lot to like about the team this year.
That said, they probably won't win the league just yet. Moises Caicedo's absence was felt again when he was suspended for the last game.
Arsenal is nine points ahead, and Chelsea needs to get better in several areas. Central defence is definitely one of them, as Tosin Adarabioyo's mistakes at Leeds proved.
Tosin has been criticised since his late blunder against Leeds. Noah Okafor stole the ball from him, leading to Dominic Calvert-Lewin's late goal that gave Chelsea a 3-1 loss.
He could also be better at building plays. Tosin, 28, likes to have the ball, but he's not as good at moving it forward as some other players in his position, which doesn't fit with the style of play Maresca wants.
It's clear he needs to be taken out of the starting lineup, but Chelsea doesn't have many options at centre back. Levi Colwill is still injured, and Wesley Fofana is frequently absent.
It's not shocking that Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart are planning a big transfer in 2026.
Chelsea Wants Tosin to Upgrade
According to Football Insider, Chelsea might have to pay £80 million for Murillo from Nottingham Forest next year. Barcelona is also interested in the Brazilian centre-back.
Murillo, 23, is in his third year in the Premier League and is doing well. He's been key in making Forest contenders for Europe. His strength and aggressiveness are what Chelsea needs.
Regardless, he would be better than Tosin.
Why Murillo Would Be a Tosin Upgrade
Murillo keeps improving. Some experts on Brazilian football say he's one of the best defenders in the Premier League.
He's not very tall, standing under 6 feet. But Murillo is still a force to be reckoned with, a huge presence on defence.
Even with the changes at Forest this season, he's been a steady presence in the backline, though he's less creative now that Sean Dyche is in charge.
Stats can be misleading, but even though Murillo isn't creating chances directly, he's still one of the league's most well-rounded centre-backs. He's in the top 5% of Premier League players for interceptions and blocks, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for progressive passes, and the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90 minutes, according to FBref data.
Shot-creating actions are plays that lead to a shot, like a pass, a take-on, or a foul drawn.
Tosin doesn't offer this kind of offensive contribution to the same degree. Plus, at 23, Murillo has much more room to improve than the 28-year-old Tosin.
Murillo is a scorer, protector, enforcer, and leader all in one. There's no doubt he would fit into Maresca's starting lineup at Chelsea, likely replacing Tosin.
Tosin has been a good addition since joining Chelsea for free, but now it's time for the team to be ruthless, as they have been many times before.
By putting success first, they will improve Maresca's project.
XAVI OPENLY DECLARES INTEREST IN CHELSEA JOB DURING PERMANENT MANAGER SEARCH
With Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola on the shortlist, explore why Xavi Hernández wants to take over the Chelsea hotseat next.
Xavi has openly said he’d love to manage Chelsea, and now the Blues are hunting for someone to replace Liam Rosenior.
Rosenior got the sack last month after a rough patch just three months into his huge contract that was supposed to last six and a half years. Calum McFarlane is filling in as interim head coach until season’s end, but Chelsea are actively looking for a permanent boss for the 2026/27 campaign.
They're considering some big names. Xabi Alonso’s been mentioned; he’s been out of work since leaving Real Madrid in January. Andoni Iraola, who’s about to leave Bournemouth, is also on the shortlist.
Cesc Fabregas has been linked after his strong run at Como, and Frank Lampard’s in the mix too, fresh off winning the Championship with Coventry and securing promotion.
But Xavi really stands out. He’s already made it clear he’s interested in the Chelsea job. Back in 2019, before his Barcelona return, he said, “I don’t hide it; my goal is to come back to Europe and to Barca. It's my challenge, but I’m enjoying this current project. For me, training a team in Barcelona would be a privilege, the biggest privilege.”
He didn’t just talk about Spain either. “Honestly, who doesn’t love the Premier League? The atmosphere, packed stadiums, everyone says it’s incredible,” Xavi admitted. “If I had to pick, I’d go for a big team: City, United, Chelsea, Arsenal, or Tottenham. Klopp, Pochettino, and Unai Emery are doing amazing work there.”
After returning to Barcelona in 2021, Xavi led them to a La Liga title and the Supercopa de España before Hansi Flick took over in 2024. He’s been out of work since.
Now, Chelsea seems seriously interested in the Spaniard. According to The i, the club wants someone who can embed a strong football identity across their teams, something Enzo Maresca started.
Getting Xavi won’t be easy, though. Morocco’s national team reportedly sees him as a top candidate to replace Walid Regragui, and Manchester United is eyeing him too as they weigh options beyond Michael Carrick.
Meanwhile, Xabi Alonso is the bookmakers’ favourite for the Chelsea role, but word is he’d want more control over club decisions if he moves to west London.
COLE PALMER MISSES PENALTY AS CHELSEA SUFFER HISTORIC SIXTH CONSECUTIVE LEAGUE DEFEAT
Chelsea matched a 1912 record with their 6th straight loss, falling 3-1 to Forest as Taiwo Awoniyi scored twice at the Bridge.
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Chelsea hit rock bottom again, losing 3-1 to Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge. That’s six Premier League defeats in a row now, something the club hadn’t seen since 1912. Just when you thought the season couldn’t get any worse, Forest showed up with a makeshift lineup and absolutely stunned them. Taiwo Awoniyi scored twice, one barely a minute into the match, and then Igor Jesus put away a penalty, and suddenly Forest was six points clear of the drop zone.
Chelsea hadn’t scored in five games, and it looked like that streak would go on forever. Then, in stoppage time, Joao Pedro finally managed an overhead kick to break the drought. That run was made even more ridiculous earlier when Cole Palmer missed a first-half penalty. Matz Sels, Forest’s backup goalkeeper, saved it.
Honestly, the crowd in the Shed End probably barely recognised their own team. Pereira swapped in seven new outfield players, most of them with almost no league experience; he was clearly thinking about the upcoming Europa League semi-final. But it looked like Chelsea was the stranger out there.
Things only got worse for interim head coach Calum McFarlane. He lost Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho to late injuries, so 18-year-old Jesse Derry had to make his Premier League debut. Then, late in the first half, Derry collided heads with Forest’s Zach Abbott and had to be stretchered off after getting oxygen. It was brutal to watch.
The match itself? Chaos. Less than two minutes in, Chelsea messed up their own throw-in and let Forest stroll through midfield. Dilane Bakwa beat Marc Cucurella with little effort and crossed to Awoniyi, who was completely unmarked and headed it in.
Fifteen minutes later, Chelsea conceded again. Bakwa whipped in another cross; Malo Gusto pulled Awoniyi’s shirt, and VAR handed Forest a penalty. Jesus hammered it right down the middle.
The first half was hopeless, and by the end, serious concern set in after that nasty head clash between Derry and Abbott. Abbott, playing just his second league game, left on his own, but Derry needed serious treatment and was stretchered off.
After a nearly ten-minute stoppage, Palmer’s penalty was stopped by Sels. At halftime, Levi Colwill returned from a major injury he hadn’t played since tearing his ACL in August. He tried to restore order, but nothing changed.
Forest’s third goal came just seven minutes into the second half. Gibbs-White crossed, and Awoniyi tapped in from close range, just managing to stay onside. Chelsea’s keeper, Robert Sanchez, took a knock and left with a bandaged head after colliding with Gibbs-White.
Pedro’s late goal barely counted for anything. The few Chelsea fans left in the stadium cheered, but it was more out of irony than joy.
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