Reports suggest that Liverpool have added Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo to their defensive shortlist ahead of the summer transfer window, with the club said to value his Premier League experience. But the big question is — is he actually the right fit for Liverpool?
There’s no doubt Murillo is a very good defender. He’s quick, aggressive, good on the ball and has adapted well to the Premier League, which is always a big plus when Liverpool are looking at signings. The club has been caught before signing players who needed time to adapt, so Premier League experience is clearly something they value now.
However, one concern that keeps coming up is his height. Murillo is around 5 foot 11, and when you look at Liverpool’s team overall, they are already not the tallest side. Set pieces, both defending and attacking, have been an issue at times, and adding another relatively small centre-back could make that problem worse.
Liverpool’s most successful recent defence was built around tall, dominant defenders who were strong in the air and physically imposing. If the club are looking to rebuild the defence, many fans would probably expect a taller, more dominant centre-back rather than another smaller, quicker defender.
That said, football has changed and pace is incredibly important now, especially if Liverpool continue to play a high line. Murillo is quick across the ground and comfortable in possession, which fits the modern style of centre-back Liverpool usually look for.
So the question really is what Liverpool want their defence to look like next season. If they want pace and ball-playing ability, Murillo makes sense. But if they want more physical presence and aerial dominance, then Liverpool might need a different profile of defender.
It’s definitely one to keep an eye on this summer.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
The Kopite View 
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