“I dream of playing in the UCL but Nottingham Forest is the best place for me now, Staying here for another season will enable me to mature as a player”- Good news & huge boost for Nottingham Forest as defender Murillo makes U-turn on City Ground future as player confirms he now wants to stay at club despite exit links

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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.

A former futsal player, he only made his senior first-team debut for Corinthians 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.”