Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar is a bigger fan of one player than Mikel Arteta and wants to sign him this summer.
The summer transfer window has officially opened, and Arsenal fans are hoping to see some movement on the market in the coming weeks.
Benjamin Sesko has turned down a move to Arsenal, which is a blow, but there is still a lot of time left in the window to sign other players.
Arsenal are expected to be active on the market this summer, and there are rumours that a new defender is on the agenda.
Now, an update has emerged about the Gunners’ interest in a Brazilian centre-back who plays for a rival Premier League club.
Edu Gaspar likes Murillo more than Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta
Arsenal have a fantastic defence at the moment.
William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have formed the best central defensive partnership in the Premier League, while Jakub Kiwior has shown promise whenever he has played.
Ben White can also play in the heart of the defence, as can Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber, who are both hugely talented players.
On paper, the Gunners don’t really need to sign a new centre-back this summer, but reports claimed in March that Arsenal are interested in signing Murillo from Nottingham Forest.
The 21-year-old impressed in the 2023/24 season following his move from Corinthians before the start of the campaign. He was one of their best players.
However, Forest could be forced to sell their big stars this summer, and The Telegraph claim they want over £50 million for Murillo.
Now, Chris Wheatley has shared an update on the situation, and he has revealed that Edu is the driving force behind Arsenal’s interest in Murillo – he likes the defender more than Arteta.
The journalist told ShotsTV: “The Nottingham Forest defender Murillo – he has attracted a lot of interest, of course, he had an amazing first season at Forest.
“Plucked from Corinthians and he’s really caught a lot of interest from teams across the Premier League. Tottenham, as well, really like him.
“I think it’s more Edu at Arsenal who really likes Murillo than Arteta.”
Arsenal have been linked with three other top defenders
Even though we don’t think Arsenal need a new centre-back, the fact that they have been linked with multiple names suggests they are in the market for one.
We’ve already told you about the interest in Murillo, but he isn’t the only one.
OGC Nice star Jean-Clair Todibo is another defender Arsenal are considering this summer, but they face competition from Manchester United for his signature.
Jorell Hato has also been linked, but it will take an enormous offer to sign him. To complicate things further, Hato has expressed his desire to stay at Ajax for another year.
Another defender on Arsenal’s radar is Ousmane Diomande of Sporting Lisbon. The Ivorian has been of interest to the Gunners for a long time, and he is said to be a target again this summer.
All of the above players are excellent defenders, and it will be interesting to see who Arsenal will go for in the coming weeks.