Colin Fray, a Nottingham Forest supporter, has revealed which player on the club’s roster he believes is most special.
Last season, the Reds narrowly averted relegation to the Championship, securing their survival with a 2-1 victory over Burnley on the last day.
Forest had a nerve-racking season, going through a bad run of VAR decisions and losing Steve Cooper in December.
Nonetheless, there were some encouraging performances throughout the season, with some truly impressive young talent on display at the City Ground.
Now, when looking ahead to the new campaign, Colin Fray has shared which player he hopes to see more of during the 2024/25 campaign.
Colin Fray picks one Nottingham Forest player he likes to watch.
To be honest, Fray isn’t the first person who watches Forest every week and singles out Murillo for admiration.
Forest value the Brazilian defender at £70 million, and a number of other teams have expressed interest in his services this summer.
For a moment, it appeared that Forest might have to sell Murillo to satisfy the PSR requirement, but instead, the club was able to sell Moussa Niakhate.
Fray has revealed what he hopes to see happen with Murillo as he prepares for his first full season on Trentside.
The commentator told the Forest Focus podcast: “I’d like to think that Forest fans – and myself – will get another season of Murillo because, you know, he’s not infallible, he’s still a young defender, and Forest don’t keep as many clean sheets as he’d like.
“But I’d like to watch him continue to grow because he’s such a joy and you never know what’s going to happen. Many times when Forest was in difficulty, he’d simply turn on the afterburners and get into position to make a block, tackle, clear one off the line, or whatever.
“He’s a joy to watch as a defender, and with all due respect to the profession, there aren’t many defenders who make you think that, so it’s exciting to see him on the team.” Hopefully, Forest can keep him as the deadline nears.”
Forest under zero pressure to sell Murillo
Surely, Fray will get his wish. With Forest having met the PSR requirements, there will be no pressure to sell and it’s highly unlikely anyone will bid £70 million.
As the commentator points out, Murillo is far from ideal at this point in his career, and he must continue to play regular football.
Forest will offer the South American the opportunity to do so, and the club’s prospects of having a successful season will be significantly increased with Murillo staying on board.
The Reds paid just over £10 million for the left-footed star, and it’s surprising how much his value has climbed on Trentside.
Now, the fans – and Fray – will be hoping that he can stay at the City Ground for a little longer.