Iraola beats Real Madrid and Man United to land Munoz in £34.5m Liverpool deal

Victor Munoz is poised to join Liverpool from Osasuna in a £34.5m deal after completing his medical in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where the Spain squad are based for the 2026 World Cup. The 22-year-old winger is set to sign a six-year contract, becoming the first arrival of the Andoni Iraola era at Anfield.

Liverpool triggered Munoz’s release clause to secure the deal, with 50 per cent of the fee owed to Real Madrid, who sold the player to Osasuna last summer. Real Madrid’s matching rights clause in their agreement with Osasuna initially gave them a route back into the running, but it ultimately ruled them out rather than in, with the club declining to exercise it. The Reds will pay the fee across two instalments.

Iraola was a driving force in the pursuit. The new Liverpool head coach raised Munoz’s name in early conversations with the club’s recruitment staff, citing his admiration for the former Real Madrid youngster. Liverpool had held long-standing interest in the player, but it was Iraola’s endorsement that accelerated the move. Barcelona had also been monitoring Munoz before redirecting their focus toward Anthony Gordon, while Newcastle United, Bayer Leverkusen, and Manchester United were among the other clubs beaten to his signature.

The signing addresses a pressing need in Liverpool’s forward line. Mohamed Salah departed at the end of last season, and Hugo Ekitike faces a lengthy absence after rupturing his Achilles against Paris Saint-Germain in a Champions League quarter-final in early April. The former Eintracht Frankfurt striker is still using a crutch, though reports in France suggest he is targeting a return during the Premier League’s festive fixture run in December.

Munoz’s versatility across the front line is understood to have been a key factor in Liverpool’s decision. His arrival is not expected to end the club’s pursuit of RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, with whom Liverpool are currently in talks. PSG are also interested in the 19-year-old, who has been valued at around €100m (£86.5m), though Leipzig remain reluctant to sell.

Munoz did not feature for Spain in their opening World Cup group game, a goalless draw against Cape Verde on Monday. The Spanish Football Federation granted permission for the medical to be conducted during the tournament, with the formalities of the deal now expected to be completed swiftly.