Murillo in 2026: Net worth and Salary, Age, Wife, Stats, Transfer values, and FAQs

Net Worth and Salary

Money talks in football, and Murillo's story is a great example of how fast things can change. When he signed for Forest in August 2023, he was a 21 year old earning very little at Corinthians. He has said in interviews that he did not even own a car at that point and used to get to training on the bus or in Ubers. Two and a half years later, he is one of the better paid young defenders in the Premier League.

Icon Polls estimates that Murillo's net worth sits somewhere between $7 million and $9 million in 2026. That figure pulls in his salary, his signing bonuses, and his early endorsement deals with sportswear and Brazilian lifestyle brands. It is a conservative range. If he secures the big transfer that everyone keeps talking about, that number could easily double inside a year.

On the wage side, Murillo signed an improved five year deal in 2025 that runs until June 2029. He now earns roughly £75,000 a week at Nottingham Forest, which works out to about £3.9 million a year before bonuses. That is a serious jump from the £30,000 a week he was on when he first arrived. By Premier League standards he is still underpaid for his output, and that is one of the reasons clubs higher up the table keep circling.

Parents and Early Life

Murillo was born in São Paulo on 4 July 2002. His father, Fábio dos Santos, was a die hard Corinthians fan and the one who pushed him into football. They started with futsal when Murillo was around six, and his dad coached him through those early sessions. It is the kind of bond that shapes a player for life.

That bond was cut short. Murillo lost his father when he was only ten years old. He has spoken openly about how hard that hit him and how he struggled to make sense of the world after it happened. He has said in interviews that football became the place where he could still feel connected to his dad, and that every time he steps onto the pitch he is doing it partly for him.

His mother raised him on her own through his teenage years, supporting him as he moved between São Caetano, ECUS, São Bernardo, União Barbarense and finally Corinthians at the age of 17. That part of his story is something fans in Nottingham love about him. He has not forgotten where he came from, and his family is still at the centre of everything he does.

Age

Murillo is 23 years old as of 2026. He was born on 4 July 2002, which makes him one of the youngest established centre-backs in the Premier League. For context, most defenders only hit their peak in their late twenties, so the fact that he is already playing at this level is genuinely rare.

Wife

Murillo is married to Mabili Coladello Santiago. They were childhood sweethearts back in Brazil and got engaged in late 2023, just a few months after he moved to England. They later married and have spoken in interviews about how important faith and family are to both of them.

In 2025, the couple announced they were expecting their first child, a baby girl. They used the City Ground pitch to share the news with the world, which was a lovely moment that Forest fans still talk about. Mabili lives with him in a quiet area outside Nottingham, and by all accounts they keep their life pretty low key. He has said he prefers staying in, playing dominoes, cards and video games with friends and family rather than going out.

Stats

Numbers tell you part of the story with Murillo, and they back up what the eye test shows. Since arriving at Nottingham Forest in August 2023, he has played more than 90 Premier League matches and become a fixture in the back four. He picked up Forest's Player of the Season award for the 2023-24 campaign, which is rare for a 21 year old in his first European season.

In the 2024-25 season he was even better, racking up 36 league appearances, scoring twice, and being named Forest's Player of the Month three times. His FotMob average rating sat around 7.1, which is elite territory for a centre-back. The 2025-26 season has had a couple of injury bumps including a calf issue early in the year, but when fit he has been a regular in the side and pushed his average back up to around 6.9.

On the international stage, he made his senior debut for Brazil in 2025 after several months of being talked about as the next big thing in Brazilian defence. Icon Polls notes that he is now firmly in the conversation for a starting spot at the 2026 World Cup, which is huge for a player still under 25.

Style of Play

If you have watched Murillo play, you already know what makes him special. He is a left footed centre-back, which is rare and valuable, and he reads the game in a way that most young defenders just do not. He is not the tallest at 1.80 metres, but he wins more aerial duels than he should because of his timing and aggression.

What scouts love about him is the calmness on the ball. He plays out from the back without panicking, breaks lines with his passing, and is comfortable carrying the ball into midfield when there is space. Defensively he is brave in the tackle and good at last ditch recovery sprints. His goal line clearance against Liverpool in 2024 went viral for a reason, it summed up the kind of defender he is becoming.

Coaches have used him as a traditional stopper, as a ball playing centre-back, and even as a left sided ball winning defender in a back three. That flexibility is part of why the biggest clubs in Europe keep watching him.

Transfer Values

This is where things get interesting. Forest paid roughly £11 to £13 million for Murillo in 2023, which already looks like one of the great Premier League bargains of the decade. By the start of 2026, his market value sits at around €65 million according to the major tracking platforms, with some valuations pushing closer to €70 million.

Icon Polls estimates that any club hoping to actually pry him out of Nottingham would need to bid well above that figure. With four years still left on his contract and Forest holding a strong negotiating position, a realistic asking price would land somewhere between £80 million and £100 million. Real Madrid and Chelsea have been the two clubs most heavily linked, with Liverpool and Barcelona also reported to be tracking him.

For a 23 year old centre-back who can play in any system and is already a Brazil international, those numbers are not crazy. If anything they might end up looking cheap two years from now.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is Murillo?

Murillo is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Nottingham Forest and the Brazil national team. His full name is Murillo Santiago Costa dos Santos.

2. How old is Murillo in 2026?

He is 23 years old. He was born on 4 July 2002 in São Paulo, Brazil.

3. What is Murillo's net worth?

Icon Polls estimates his net worth at between $7 million and $9 million in 2026, with the figure expected to climb sharply if he completes a big move.

4. How much does Murillo earn at Nottingham Forest?

He earns roughly £75,000 a week, which adds up to around £3.9 million a year before bonuses, on a contract running until June 2029.

5. Who is Murillo's wife?

He is married to Mabili Coladello Santiago. The couple were childhood sweethearts and welcomed their first daughter in 2025.

6. Who are Murillo's parents?

His father was Fábio dos Santos, a Corinthians supporter who introduced him to futsal. His father passed away when Murillo was ten. His mother raised him through his teenage years and remains close to him today.

7. What position does Murillo play?

He plays as a centre-back. He is left footed and has been used as a ball playing defender, a stopper, and a ball winning defender.

8. How tall is Murillo?

He stands 1.80 metres, which is about 5 feet 11 inches.

9. Where was Murillo born?

He was born in São Paulo, Brazil.

10. Which club did Murillo play for before Nottingham Forest?

He came through the youth ranks at São Caetano, ECUS, São Bernardo and União Barbarense before joining Corinthians in 2019. He made his senior debut for Corinthians in April 2023.

11. How much did Nottingham Forest pay for Murillo?

Forest paid Corinthians a fee in the region of £11 to £13 million in August 2023, which is now seen as one of the best value signings in recent Premier League history.

12. What is Murillo's current transfer value?

His market value sits at around €65 million in 2026, although Forest's real asking price is believed to be in the £80 million to £100 million range.

13. Which clubs are interested in signing Murillo?

Real Madrid, Chelsea, Liverpool and Barcelona have all been linked with him at various points. Icon Polls expects strong interest from Spain and England during the next major transfer window.

14. Does Murillo play for the Brazil national team?

Yes. He made his senior Brazil debut in 2025 and is now considered a strong contender for a starting role at the 2026 World Cup.

15. When does Murillo's contract end?

His current Nottingham Forest contract runs until 30 June 2029. He signed an improved five year deal in 2025.

16. What is Murillo's shirt number at Forest?

He wears the number 5 shirt at Nottingham Forest.

17. Is Murillo religious?

Yes, he has spoken often about his Christian faith and how it shapes his daily life and approach to football.

18. Has Murillo won any individual awards?

He was named Nottingham Forest's Player of the Season for 2023-24 in his very first European campaign, and he has picked up multiple Player of the Month awards at the club since then.

19. What languages does Murillo speak?

His first language is Portuguese. He has been taking daily one on one English lessons since his move to England and is now able to do most of his interviews in English.

20. What makes Murillo a special defender?

He combines composure on the ball, smart positioning, aerial strength and a left foot that is rare among top centre-backs. Icon Polls notes that scouts particularly value how mature he looks at only 23 years old, which is why the biggest clubs in Europe keep watching his games.