Liverpool are set to sign Spain international winger Victor Munoz from Osasuna after triggering his €40million (£34.6m) release clause.Newcastle United were admirers of the 22-year-old but Liverpool have won the race for his signature, with sporting director Richard Hughes and Fenway Sports Group’s CEO of football Michael Edwards driving the deal.Munoz is part of Spain’s World Cup squad and Liverpool medical personnel are at the Spain camp in Atlanta. He will sign a six-year contract at Anfield and will become the club’s first signing since the appointment of Andoni Iraola as head coach earlier this month.Bolstering their attacking options has been Liverpool’s priority in the transfer market since Mohamed Salah left the club at the end of last season. Hugo Ekitike will miss the start of next season due to an Achilles injury, while Federico Chiesa is expected to move on this summer.Born in Catalonia, Munoz spent three years in Barcelona’s La Masia youth academy but, after a spell at Catalan youth side CF Damm, joined Real Madrid as an 18-year-old.
Munoz made four first-team appearances for Madrid, including featuring twice at last summer’s Club World Cup, before joining Osasuna last summer in a €5m deal, with Madrid retaining a 50 per cent sell-on clause, meaning they stand to recoup €20m from the deal.Munoz, known for his speed and directness, impressed for Osasuna with seven goals across 36 appearances in all competitions last term.The forward made his Spain international debut in March, scoring on his debut in a friendly win over Serbia, and was included in Luis de la Fuente’s World Cup squad but did not feature in either of their June warm-up games or their opener against Cape Verde.What kind of player is Munoz?Analysis by Thom Harris, Mario Cortegana and Pol BallsIn many respects, Munoz is a throwback winger. Pacy, skilful and energetic, he rarely passes up an opportunity to run at his full-back and get to the byline. Against more compact defensive units, he makes the most of space on the flanks, but he can also lead his team on the counter-attack and act as a pressure release against possession-dominant sides.His player pizza chart below (from April) highlights his dribbling ability, ranking Munoz in the 98th percentile (ie, only two per cent are better than him) of wide players across Europe’s top five domestic leagues for take-ons per 100 touches. He also drives forward with the ball frequently — close to a third of his carries are considered progressive — while he keeps his passes short and sharp and does not shy away from taking a shot.Osasuna are one of La Liga’s more direct, fast-attacking sides, and Munoz has found a home out on the left of a 4-2-3-1 system that provides him with space to gallop into on the break.Munoz’s impact, though, is not restricted to the flanks. He is an endlessly enthusiastic winger who will drop deep to get on the ball and drag his team up the pitch.Jun 17, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
