The Brazilian has become an established figure at the City Ground since joining from Corinthians in 2023. Now in his fourth season in English football, he says he is happy with the progress he has made and believes there is considerably more to come.
“I think it’s a dream fulfilled. Four seasons in the Premier League, for me the most difficult league in the world,” Murillo told ESPN Brasil.
“I feel very fulfilled, very happy, but I believe it’s only the beginning of a lot more history to come.”
The 24-year-old has made 125 appearances for Forest and has developed into one of their most important defensive players. His performances have also attracted attention from other Premier League clubs, with Manchester United among those previously linked with him.
Murillo believes the demands of English football have helped him develop, particularly because the game continually changes and requires players to adapt to different tactical approaches.
“I’ve been learning a lot and changing every year, every moment, because football keeps updating every year and it makes you change as well,” he said.
“If you don’t change, you get left behind. Especially when you change manager, you have to adapt to the way of playing.”
Forest have endured a difficult opening to the campaign, but Murillo does not believe their league position or results tell the full story of their work on the training ground.
The defender pointed to the opportunities the team have been creating, arguing that their main problem has been converting those chances rather than a lack of attacking intent.
“People who only see the results will say, ‘Nottingham must not be doing good work’, but it’s completely the opposite,” he explained.
“We’re lacking a little bit in the final third, not scoring the goals, because we create a lot of chances.”
He believes the team have made progress in recent weeks but recognises that improvement must now be reflected in the points they collect.
“We’re creating good chances, we’re improving, but I think now we have to start creating good results.”
Forest subsequently produced one of their best performances of the season by beating Manchester City 3-1, offering an encouraging response after a difficult run. Murillo’s comments had highlighted the frustration within the squad that their work had not been rewarded more consistently.
The defender also had a lighter complaint to share about his own attempts to produce something spectacular. Murillo has developed a reputation for trying ambitious efforts from distance, including a recent attempt against Arsenal that narrowly failed to find the target.
He joked that the Premier League’s decision to highlight seven of his near-misses had become a source of frustration.
“What annoyed me most was when the Premier League posted Murillo’s seven nearly-great goals,” he said.
“I thought, ‘Man, I’ve been here for four years trying to score an incredible goal and I can’t do it.'”
Recalling the latest attempt, he added: “When I got there to finish, I thought, ‘Wow, I’ve never got to this part before.’ Then when I hit it, I thought, ‘God, help me.’”
Murillo clearly remains settled in Nottingham, and his comments suggest he sees his future as part of a club still developing its potential. His immediate priority, however, is helping Forest turn improved performances into more consistent results.