Liverpool have agreed a €40 million deal for Osasuna winger Víctor Muñoz, gazumping Newcastle — again — to land one of La Liga's standout young players. A year after stealing Hugo Ekitké from under the Magpies' noses, the Reds have done it once more. Newcastle had been in talks with the 22-year-old. Then Liverpool arrived.
The signing fills a genuine hole. Mohamed Salah is gone after nine years. Cody Gakpo has regressed. Federico Chiesa looks set to leave. The only other senior winger on the books is 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha. Liverpool's wide areas weren't thin — they were borderline threadbare heading into Andoni Iraola's first season.
What Muñoz Actually Does
Muñoz is fast — La Liga's second quickest player last season at 35.5 km/h — and direct in a way that makes him genuinely uncomfortable to defend. Only Lamine Yamal, Vinicius Junior, and Kylian Mbappé completed more dribbles in La Liga in 2025-26. He managed 75. Among under-25s, only Yamal took more shots than his 81.
Six goals and two assists in 34 games for a side that nearly got relegated reads modestly on paper. Context matters enormously here. That was his first full La Liga campaign, for an Osasuna team in survival mode. The production floor is almost certainly higher.
He already has his first Spain goal — a composed outside-the-boot finish on debut in a 3-0 win over Serbia in March — and earned a spot in Luis de la Fuente's World Cup squad. For a player who spent time at both Barcelona's academy and Real Madrid's Castilla, the breakthrough has been a long time coming.
His background at Madrid is relevant to this deal in a specific way. When Osasuna signed him for €5 million last summer, Madrid retained a buy-back clause and 50% of any future sale. They've chosen not to trigger the buy-back — José Mourinho is prioritising defensive reinforcements — which means Madrid will still collect €20 million from Liverpool's fee. A tidy return on a player they let go for €5 million twelve months ago.
Where He Fits Under Iraola
Iraola's preferred 4-2-3-1 suits Muñoz well. He's predominantly a left winger, right-footed, which means he cuts inside — exactly the profile that system rewards. He's also covered centrally and as a striker for Osasuna, giving Liverpool options they currently don't have.
The bigger question is whether this is the only attacking signing Liverpool make. RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande — the 19-year-old currently at the World Cup with Côte d'Ivoire — remains heavily linked, with Leipzig reportedly wanting over €100 million. Côte d'Ivoire manager Emerse Faé confirmed Diomande won't be thinking about club moves until the tournament ends. Liverpool are said to be planning multiple attacking additions regardless.
A potential frontline of Diomande, Florian Wirtz, and Muñoz — with Alexander Isak through the middle — is the kind of forward line that changes Liverpool's price in the title market significantly. Right now it's hypothetical. But Muñoz is real, and he's the first piece in place.
