Liverpool has sensationally swooped in to sign Osasuna winger Victor Munoz, hijacking a deal that Newcastle United appeared on the verge of completing. Renowned transfer insider Fabrizio Romano confirmed the dramatic turn of events, stating that Liverpool have triggered the player's release clause.
Romano announced the news on X, formerly Twitter, revealing that while Newcastle had been in advanced negotiations for days, Liverpool entered the race, verbally agreed terms with the Spanish international, and activated the €40 million release clause. He described the move as "done" and "another big surprise."
The 22-year-old winger has caught the eye in La Liga and is already a part of Spain's squad for the upcoming World Cup. According to BBC Sport, Liverpool are prepared to have staff in the United States to conduct Munoz's medical during his international duty.
The reported fee for Munoz is around £34.6 million, which could be seen as a bargain for Liverpool. However, some observers might view it as a gamble given his relative inexperience and modest goal tally of seven across all competitions last season, which may not immediately suggest a direct replacement for a player like Mohamed Salah.
This development leaves Newcastle United in a frustrating position, especially after recently selling Anthony Gordon to Barcelona. They were reportedly looking to bring Munoz in as a potential replacement, and missing out on him after extensive talks will likely be a blow to their transfer plans.
