Since arriving in December, Nuno Espirito Santo has identified the striker role as a position to upgrade on at Nottingham Forest, but he is now also on the lookout for a new defender.
However, their search could be put on hold after the club has been charged with a breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
Nevertheless, let’s take a look at the defender who could become the perfect partner for Murillo.
Forest’s search for a centre-back
According to reports from TEAMtalk earlier this week, Forest are interested in signing Trevoh Chalobah this month.
The Chelsea defender rejected a move to the Tricky Trees in the summer, but it is believed he could make the switch due to his desire to remain in England.
The Blues will reportedly accept a bid of £25m for the defender, but Forest will face competition from a couple of Italian clubs, notably Napoli.
How Chalobah would fit in the Forest team
Since moving to Forest in the summer for around £15m, Murillo has been a rock at the heart of the backline. The left-footed star has featured as the left centre-back in 15 Premier League matches this season, and since entering the starting XI, he has yet to be displaced.
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Furthermore, before this weekend, the Brazilian ranked first for the most clearances per ninety minutes (6) for players aged 21 or less throughout the entirety of Europe’s top five leagues.
However, for the side to really develop into a top-half team, they must sign a right centre-back to partner Murillo, and Chalobah would be perfect for the role.
The Chelsea defender hasn’t played a single game of football all season, with the club’s never-ending recruitment and Chalobah’s need for minutes pushing him further down the pecking order. However, prior to the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino, the 24-year-old was a frequent starter for the Blues, playing 25 times in the Premier League last season.
Nonetheless, the table below shows a handful of Chalobah’s statistics from the last year across the top European leagues.
|
Chalobah: Compared to CBs in top 5 leagues |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (per 90) |
Chalobah |
Ranking in Europe |
|
Tackles |
2.05 |
Top 15% |
|
Dribblers tackled |
1.73 |
Top 1% |
|
Touches |
81.57 |
Top 14% |
|
Passes completed |
62.67 |
Top 16% |
|
Successful take-ons |
0.65 |
Top 6% |
|
Passes into final third |
4.65 |
Top 19% |
|
Stats via FBref |
||
Chalobah has been described as a “monster” by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig for his ability to dominate both with and without the ball, with the ex-Huddersfield loanee extremely comfortable dealing with attackers who are direct, due to his athletic frame That makes him dynamic, as shown by his impressive tackling numbers.
The Chelsea star’s biggest attribute is his ability on the ball and confidence to receive it under any circumstance, highlighted by his high touches, successful take-ons, and passes completed. However, he also has the bravery to progress the ball quickly, which is vital when playing for a side that operates on the break.
Therefore, Chalobah would add a nice balance next to Murillo, who tends to progress play via dribbling, as shown by the fact he is in the top 1% for successful take-ons in the Premier League, as per FBref.
Overall, Chalobah is an extremely talented defender who needs the right environment to flourish, and he could do just that next to Murillo at Forest.