Liverpool are set to complete the signing of Spanish winger Victor Munoz from Osasuna after triggering his 40 million euro release clause worth £34.5m.
The 22-year-old underwent his medical in the United States on Wednesday, with Liverpool sending staff across the Atlantic to complete the formalities.
Munoz is currently part of Spain’s World Cup squad, making the timing of the deal particularly notable given the ongoing tournament in the US.
The Spaniard, who made his international debut in March, is expected to sign a six-year contract at Anfield, with the transfer fee paid across two instalments.
He will become the first signing of Andoni Iraola’s tenure as Liverpool head coach, following the Spaniard’s appointment earlier this month as replacement for Arne Slot.
Newcastle had been in advanced talks to secure Munoz following Anthony Gordon’s departure to Barcelona, but Liverpool moved decisively to win the race.
La Liga expert Phil Minshull previously described Munoz as “one of the pearls of Spanish football”, highlighting his excellent work-rate in both attack and defence.
Munoz contributed seven goals and five assists across 36 appearances for Osasuna last season, having joined the club in July 2025 for 5 million euros from Real Madrid.
He is a graduate of Barcelona’s renowned La Masia academy and made two brief substitute appearances at Real Madrid before his move to Osasuna.
Real Madrid retained a 50% sell-on clause and held a matching rights option on the player, but concerns over regular playing time under Jose Mourinho made a return a non-starter.
Barcelona also showed interest in Munoz before redirecting their funds toward the signing of Gordon in a deal worth more than £69m.
Manchester United and Bayer Leverkusen also registered interest, but Iraola’s extensive knowledge of La Liga is understood to have been a key factor in convincing Munoz to choose Anfield.
Munoz is predominantly right-footed but mainly operates from the left wing, a position that has become a clear priority following Mohamed Salah’s departure from the club.
Liverpool are confident Munoz will complement both Cody Gakpo and 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha, the teenager who made his England debut earlier this month.
The club believe Munoz’s arrival will not affect Ngumoha’s playing time and are encouraged by his ability to consistently get into dangerous positions in the final third.
Liverpool also retain strong interest in RB Leipzig midfielder Yan Diomande, the 19-year-old Ivory Coast international who is also attracting attention from Paris St-Germain.
The Munoz deal follows a now-familiar pattern, after Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak both chose Liverpool over Newcastle in recent transfer windows, compounding the Tyneside club’s frustration.
Newcastle sources acknowledged last week that a formal bid had not yet been submitted, and it is understood Osasuna ultimately only received accepted offers from two clubs before Liverpool moved to trigger the release clause.
For Newcastle, losing Munoz is a significant blow given they had identified him as the long-term successor to Gordon and had hoped to act early to avoid a repeat of last summer’s turbulent window.
Meanwhile, Italian clubs are showing interest in Liverpool forward Federico Chiesa, who is seeking regular first-team football after managing just one Premier League start last season.
