Nuno could repeat Nottingham Forest’s Murillo trick by signing £6m rock

The appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo seems to have been a masterstroke, with Nottingham Forest’s latest result being a 2-1 win over Manchester United.

Consecutive victories for the first time this season put Forest 15th in the Premier League, which momentarily gives them some breathing room.

Despite an upturn in results, Forest wants to back their new boss in January, with the defensive department set to be bolstered.

Forest transfers latest – Nino

According to the Mirror, the Tricky Trees are interested in signing Nino from Fluminense this January.

The two clubs have already been in talks over the defender’s signature, with a deal this winter looking achievable.

The Brazilian would cost as little as £6m, which makes the deal likely, especially as Gustavo Scarpa’s imminent exit will raise funds.

Nino’s style of play

Forest have shown their willingness to dip into the Brazilian Serie A market to pick up a quality bargain recently, with Murillo joining the club for £15m in the summer. The move for the 21-year-old has been a success so far, and Nuno Santo will be hoping that Nino could become the perfect partner for him.

Nino has featured in 26 Serie A matches for Fluminense this season, which is a side that has earned plenty of attention for Fernando Diniz’s free-roaming, possession-dominant, risky approach that is almost like Brighton’s but twice as extreme. The 26-year-old plays as a right centre-back, and therefore he would ultimately play alongside Murillo at Forest.

The Brazilian star has a unique profile that is determined by his team’s style of play, and the table below sums up his qualities based on stats from the 2023 Brazil Serie A season.

Firstly, Nino’s technical quality, composure, and ability to progress the ball are incredible. Not only does he get heavily involved in the play, but he is also extremely accurate with his passes. When this is the case, it is usually because a player is very focused on just retaining the ball, but Nino’s progressive passing stat says otherwise.

A common pattern of play under Nuno Santo, if the Brazilian were to join, is a direct ball into the striker’s feet or in behind, like Murillo’s assist for Chris Wood’s third against Newcastle.

Despite being 6 foot 2, the centre-back can get out of the tightest of spaces when pressed. Nino loves to carry the ball forward, and he isn’t afraid to step into midfield when in possession. Murillo has also shown similar traits while at Forest, often winning the ball and driving up the pitch to start an attack.

Nino is also the captain of Fluminense, which means that Forest would be adding a true leader to their defence. With Nuno Santo’s side still in the region of the relegation zone, acquiring a player with experience and leadership qualities seems like a smart move and the fact that he would only cost £6m means that this deal can almost only be a success. Therefore, Forest must look to sign Nino as a matter of urgency before another club comes knocking.