Nottingham Forest’s recent financial troubles might lead to them offloading players at reduced prices, and Arsenal are reportedly ready to take advantage.

One player they’re interested in is centre-back Murillo.

Forest’s recent points deduction for breaking financial rules means they need to generate cash. Murillo is one of the players likely to be sold to raise much-needed funds. While Forest initially paid around £15m for him, they’re hoping to at least recoup that investment, if not make a small profit.

Other valuable Forest players, like Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi, could also attract big-money offers, further easing Forest’s financial woes.

Arsenal could certainly use some defensive reinforcements this summer. While their starting backline is strong when injury-free, a lack of reliable backups has been an issue when injuries inevitably strike. Signing will be motivated by a need for depth, not necessarily replacing a first-choice player.

Luckily for Arsenal, they have options. Signing a centre-back like Murillo could free up versatile players like Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jurrien Timber, and Jakub Kiwior to fill full-back positions if needed.

This flexibility gives Arsenal more leeway in how they approach the transfer market and then deal with injuries as and when they happen.