Who Is Victor Munoz? The Spanish star Liverpool have just hijacked a deal for

Last Updated on 18 June 2026

Liverpool have pulled off one of the more dramatic swoops of the summer, hijacking Newcastle United’s move for Spain international Victor Munoz and activating his €40 million release clause at Osasuna.

The deal, confirmed by transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, looks set to become the first signing of the Andoni Iraola era at Anfield and it has left Newcastle blindsided after days of advanced talks with the player.

For fans asking “who is Victor Munoz?”, here’s everything you need to know about the 22-year-old winger who has gone from La Masia reject to Liverpool’s newest recruit in the space of a few extraordinary years.

Who Is Victor Munoz?

Victor Munoz Villanueva was born in Barcelona on 13 July 2003 and joined Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy at just eleven years old.

His path wasn’t straightforward, he left the Catalan giants in 2017 to join the youth ranks of CF Damm before being picked up by Real Madrid’s academy in 2021, where he progressed through the club’s youth league setup.

After breaking into Real Madrid’s farm side and then Castilla, Munoz earned senior minutes for Los Blancos, including a memorable La Liga debut in May 2025 when he came on as a substitute for Vinicius Junior in El Clasico against his old club, Barcelona.

Real Madrid let him leave for Osasuna for a modest fee of around €5 million later that year — a decision that now looks like a major undervaluation.

The Breakout Season That Caught Liverpool’s Eye

Munoz’s first full campaign at Osasuna turned him from a fringe academy graduate into one of LaLiga’s most-watched young attackers.

Across all competitions he contributed seven goals and five assists in 36 appearances, while his underlying numbers stood out even more than the scoreline: he was among the division’s most productive dribblers, averaging over two successful dribbles per game, and he ranked second at his own club for both shots and shots on target per match.

That combination of directness, end product, and versatility across the front line made him a natural fit for Iraola’s high-tempo, transition-based style — and explains why two Premier League clubs ended up in a race for his signature.

Why Liverpool Hijacked the Newcastle Deal

Newcastle had appeared to be closing in on Munoz for days, with the Magpies looking for attacking reinforcement after selling Anthony Gordon to Barcelona.

But Liverpool’s need was arguably greater. Mohamed Salah’s departure left a gaping hole in Iraola’s attacking options, and with first-choice forward Hugo Ekitike sidelined long-term through an Achilles injury, the Reds moved decisively, agreeing personal terms with Munoz and triggering his release clause before Newcastle could get the deal over the line.

It’s a pattern Liverpool fans will recognise. The club pulled off similarly unexpected late swoops for Cody Gakpo in January 2023 and Dominik Szoboszlai in the summer that followed — both signings that arrived with minimal warning and went on to become key contributors.

Even more recently, last summer, Hugo Ekitike famously turned down move to Newcastle in favour of Liverpool.

Munoz now joins that lineage of stealth Anfield arrivals.

What Munoz Brings to Anfield

Primarily a left-sided attacker, Munoz is comfortable across the front line and even drops into midfield when needed.

He’s a direct, counter-attacking threat who likes to cut inside and has a strong delivery from wide areas — attributes that should slot well into Iraola’s pressing, transition-heavy system.

One tactical wrinkle for Liverpool to manage: Munoz tends to operate in similar zones to academy graduate Rio Ngumoha, who at 17 is also pushing for first-team minutes.

Expect Munoz to be used initially as a rotation option and direct competition for that left-sided role, easing the burden on Ngumoha rather than blocking his path outright.