Why Liverpool are spending €40m on Munoz to fill Salah void

Victor Munoz Liverpool GFX

Newcastle fans can be forgiven for experiencing a strange and unwanted feeling of deja vu this week. After being linked heavily with an exciting young attacker throughout the build-up to this summer’s transfer window, Liverpool appear to have snuck in at the last and pipped them to the post - again. Last year, it was Hugo Ekitike; this year, it is Victor Munoz.

All signs pointed to the Magpies sealing a deal for the highly-rated 22-year-old, to try and improve what was only the ninth-best attack in the Premier League last season and one that has been dealt a further blow by Anthony Gordon's move to Barcelona. But instead, it looks like Munoz will be trying to fill the voids left by Mohamed Salah's departure, Ekitike's injury and Federico Chiesa's anticipated exit, with Liverpool instead winning the race.

It's the latest milestone in an eventful career to date for the young forward. With time spent at Barcelona and Real Madrid before a move to Osasuna paved the way for his first Spain call-up, and inclusion in La Roja's 2026 World Cup squad, Munoz has seen plenty already, with his talent consistently attracting the attention of some huge teams.

But what is it that makes him so special, as the young star prepares to become the first signing of the Andoni Iraola era in Liverpool?

FC Barcelona v Real Madrid CF - La Liga EA Sports

Where it all began

Munoz's footballing education couldn't be more eye-catching, involving time in the youth set-ups at both Barcelona and Real Madrid. Born in Catalunya, his time at La Masia came first, after he had started out with local side Sant Gabriel. However, Munoz spent just three years with Barcelona, moving at 14 years old to another local team, Damm, which has a famed youth pathway of its own that has played a role in the careers of players like Cristian Tello and Gerard Moreno.

Munoz wanted more playing time and a more prominent role than that he was getting at Barca, and he got that at Damm, where he shone enough to attract the attention of none other than Real Madrid.

"There were other teams interested in him, but when Madrid inquired, there was no room for bidding; it was a done deal," representatives at Damm told Relevo.

Munoz thrived in the Spanish capital, rising up through the ranks to make his first-team debut in the latter stages of the 2024-25 season - against Barcelona, of all teams. Another La Liga appearance would come in victory over Sevilla, before two run-outs at the Club World Cup that summer. But Munoz, approaching his 22nd birthday, wanted more game time - and a move to grant that was about to come.

Victor Munoz Spain 2026

The big break

Two days before his birthday, it was announced that Munoz had signed a five-year contract with Osasuna, moving for a fee of €5 million that saw Madrid retain a buy-back option. Unfortunately, the club wouldn't live up to the heights of the 2024-25 season, which featured a ninth-placed finish in La Liga and a run to the Copa del Rey quarter-finals. But they could offer Munoz the sort of first-team role he craved, and he delivered in kind, including two big contributions to help avoid relegation.

Osasuna would survive the drop by the skin of their teeth, due to a better head-to-head record in a three-way points tie with Mallorca and Levante. It meant Munoz's goal-scoring display against Levante in December and his assist in the draw with Mallorca in March proved incredibly vital.

Those represented two of the winger's eight goal contributions in La Liga, with only Ante Budimir, Osasuna's 17-goal striker, directly involved in more for the club in a season that also saw Munoz play through discomfort in order to help Los Rojillos' cause. He won two Player of the Month awards and, in March, received his first senior Spain call-up. Indeed, the 22-year-old even marked his international debut, off the bench against Serbia, with a goal.

Lamine Yamal Nico Williams Victor Munoz Spain 2026

How it's going

Despite only having two caps to his name by the time Spain boss Luis de la Fuente came to name his squad for the World Cup, Munoz had impressed enough to sneak in, named among the 26 players heading to the tournament.

"I think he's a lad with tremendous footballing potential and he's shown with the national team, at the highest international level, that he's ready to compete at that level, too," De La Fuente said of Munoz on RTVE show 'Los Desayunos'.

Across the Atlantic, focus has not just been on Spain's quest to win a first World Cup since 2010, either, as Munoz has also had a big decision to make with regards to his future. It looked like Newcastle would be the next destination for this exciting young talent, who had also garnered interest from Manchester United, Bayer Leverkusen and, supposedly, Barcelona.

But that has all changed now, with it reported late on Wednesday that Liverpool have activated his €40m (£34.5m/$46m) release clause and that Munoz has indeed chosen a move to Anfield.

Victor Munoz Osasuna 2025-26

Biggest strengths

Munoz is the sort of wide player who gets fans on the edge of their seats. Incredibly quick and with fantastic dribbling ability, he is not shy in taking players on, with his direct approach the sort of thing that will excite those in the stands. He's versatile, too, capable of playing on either side or even more centrally, behind a striker.

Also endearing is Munoz's work rate. Described as "very humble" by Spain boss De La Fuente, his energy and strong work ethic was on show throughout Osasuna's relegation battle last season. Some young forwards might shirk their responsibilities and shrink in that sort of situation, but Munoz didn't, playing through pain to ensure his side stayed in La Liga.

Those traits make him an asset when it comes to defending from the front and in a high press, even if it's not something that was on show too much in an Osasuna side that was struggling and, as such, didn't place a lot of emphasis on that.

Valencia CF v CA Osasuna - LaLiga EA Sports

Room for improvement

The most obvious area for improvement for Munoz is his end product. It's nothing new or unusual when it comes to young forwards and is certainly something that he can make strides with. After all, he's played just one full season of first-team football. With time and experience, that is going to become more accurate.

When it does, it will marry nicely with his other traits of being direct, confident in taking shots on and his ability to beat his marker to create space for a cross. He has the potential to be a much greater and more clinical threat in the final third.

Anthony Gordon England v New Zealand - International Friendly

The next... Anthony Gordon?

Unsurprisingly given Newcastle's interest, Munoz is a player who has a lot of similarities with Gordon, the England international who has just left the Magpies to join Barca. He's direct, confident and can be a threat as a creator and a scorer, but is still working towards maximising his potential with regards to the latter. Munoz's work rate also fits into this comparison, with Gordon not lacking defensive discipline.

When Munoz picks up the ball, meanwhile, there are shades of the late Diogo Jota about him, because of how positive he is in his dribbling and the desire he has to get up the pitch. In essence, he's not the flashiest winger around, but he has plenty of technical quality, aggression and energy to make him very effective.

Victor Munoz Spain 2026

What comes next?

Munoz will hope he gets a chance to show Liverpool fans what he can bring to the table over the course of Spain's World Cup campaign, with him an unused sub in the disappointing draw with Cape Verde that the reigning European champions started their summer with on June 15.

The tournament should be a fantastic experience for the 22-year-old as he prepares to make the big step up to a top Premier League side, whether he gets many minutes or not, with the high-pressure environment sure to teach him plenty.

Munoz has already seen some of that at Real Madrid, including the negative side of it all which led to him deactivating his social media accounts after missing a big chance in the Clasico defeat to Barcelona in May of last year. Another taste of it with Spain will help further, before stepping up to represent another huge club in Liverpool.

A price tag of €40m is not crazy money in today's day and age, but it's a fee that shows what the Reds think of Munoz and one that means he will be expected to contribute plenty in the coming season, even if it is as part of a rotating cast of wide players.