Inter Milan have reportedly slapped a €15 million price tag on Jeison Murillo who is attracting the interest of Manchester City and Tottenham.
According to a report in TransferMarketWeb, Inter Milan are set to demand €15 million in exchange for Jeison Murillo’s services in the summer transfer window. The Colombian defender is being linked with the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur among several other clubs.
Murillo has endured a topsy turvy career with Inter Milan ever since moving to the club from Granada in 2015. He started off as a regular under Roberto Mancini before eventually falling out of favour with the Italian.
The appointment of Stefano Pioli at the helm at San Siro, though, saw a resurgent Murillo take the field for Inter. However, Pioli was dismissed from the Inter job last month, and that has coincided with Murillo’s fall down the pecking order.
According to @FcInterNewsit, Tottenham have used intermediaries to make enquiries about signing Inter’s Jeison Murillo. pic.twitter.com/ZE7eqbrgIK
— Messi Minutes (@MessiMinutes) May 18, 2017
The Colombian international has started just four games in the last three months, making a total of 34 appearances across all competitions for the Nerazzurri. With a squad overhaul in the offing in the summer transfer window, it is looking likely that Murillo will be one of the players to depart from San Siro.
However, he is unlikely to have a dearth of supporters vying for his signature, with Manchester City and Tottenham, in particular, believed to be leading the race to sign him.
At Manchester City, defence has presented numerous problems for Pep Guardiola in his bid to mount a sustainable challenge for the Premier League and UEFA Champions League title.
Form and injury concerns didn’t help his case, as captain Vincent Kompany missed large parts of the season due to a spate of injuries, while John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi have frustrated with inconsistent performances. Hence, Guardiola is in need to recruit a quality centre-back in the summer, thus, eyeing Murillo for a possible deal.
Meanwhile, Tottenham have arguably been the best defensive performers in the Premier League over the last two seasons, but are in a precarious situation with Toby Alderweireld reportedly involved in a contract standoff with the club.
Should the Belgian defender choose not to renew his deal with them, the North London club would need to go big in search for a reliable presence at the heart of defence. Murillo is, thus, being considered as one of the options to pursue in the summer.
Murillo will turn 25 next week, and with his best years ahead of him, the Colombian could prove to be a long-term solution at the back for both the aforementioned clubs. City and Tottenham, though, will have to shell out €15 million in order to secure Murillo’s services.
The aforementioned fee is unlikely to deter the duo in pursuit of the player and it will remains to be seen if Murillo turns out for either Premier League outfit next season.
