Arsenal have identified a marquee Nottingham Forest star as one of their top transfer targets heading into 2026, according to a report this week.
Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta splashed nearly £270 million on new recruits last summer, and the Italian’s investments have paid dividends thus far.
This was evident in the North London derby last weekend, when Arsenal put arch rivals Tottenham to the sword in a 4-1 win, piling pressure on Thomas Frank and cementing Mikel Arteta’s side as the overwhelming Premier League title favourites.
A hat-trick from summer signing Eberechi Eze, who was once on the verge of joining Spurs before Berta hijacked the deal, and Leandro Trossard’s strike saw Arsenal claim all the bragging rights on Sunday while extending their lead at the top of the table to six points.
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham
Another new recruit, Piero Hincapie, was also handed his first Premier League start by Arteta with star defender Gabriel Magalhaes sidelined due to a thigh injury.
The Ecuadorian shone in Gabriel’s stead, with Arteta hailing his exceptional display against Spurs on the eve of their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.
Arsenal’s water-tight backline is one of the major reasons why they’re top of the pile and unbeaten in all competitions since August, with Arteta very well-stocked in defence after both Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera’s arrivals in the summer.
Both men have performed exceptionally when called upon, but according to Spanish media sources, Berta and co are still planning to reinforce their backline in future windows.
Arsenal identify Nottingham Forest star Murillo as top target
Indeed, it is now believed that Arsenal have identified Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo as a priority transfer target, entering a three-way battle with Chelsea and Barcelona for the Brazilian’s signature.
Arteta has apparently earmarked the young defender as crucial to strengthening his backline for the long term.
The Spanish tactician particularly values Murillo’s ball-playing prowess, ability to break defensive lines and his left-footed profile, which Arteta believes would bring even more balance to Arsenal’s central defence.
However, Forest have set a large price tag for their defensive jewel, and Evangelos Marinakis could charge up to £79 million for Murillo to ward off potential suitors like Arsenal.
Since arriving from Brazil, Murillo has become a cornerstone of Forest’s backline.
The 23-year-old’s links with a move away are nothing new, and Arsenal have been named as suitors for Murillo even before now. Despite their many options at the back, Berta’s admiration for the South American hasn’t gone away, and it is clear to see why.
Murillo ended 2024/2025 as Forest’s best-performer by average match rating in the Premier League last season, according to WhoScored, with only Matz Sels and Nikola Milenkovic playing more minutes than the ex-Corinthians sensation.