Sunderland have been linked with a move for CA Osasuna winger Victor Munoz, who Real Madrid retain a buy-back option for.
In recent days, it has been suggested that the Black Cats made a series of approaches to CA Osasuna, Muñoz’s current club, during the January transfer window, only for their bids to be soundly rejected by the La Liga outfit. It is understood that an initial offer of £17 million was knocked back, as was an improved package worth around £21 million.
Instead, Osasuna are said to value Muñoz at £34 million - the release clause written into his current contract - and are unwilling to compromise on that figure because they will have to pay Real Madrid 50% of any fee they receive for the winger when they do eventually come to sell him.
The 22-year-old, who predominantly operates on the left flank, is a product of Real’s academy system, signing for Osasuna from the Spanish giants last summer. Since then, he has caught the eye, registering five goals and four assist in 26 outings across all competitions.
Explaining Muñoz’s situation, and Osasuna’s refusal to sell him this winter, sporting director Braulio Vázquez said: “We didn’t even listen to them [Sunderland’s bids]; we stuck to the clause. It’s also true, and I want to emphasise this, that he’s very grateful to the club.
“We brought him in from the Primera RFEF [Real Madrid First Division], where he’d only played 40 minutes in La Liga, and we paid €5million. I told him he was going to experience personal and professional growth because it was the right environment, and he’s very grateful. As of today, we’re not considering him leaving, and neither is he.”
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What is the latest on Victor Muñoz’s future amid Sunderland transfer links?
But while Osasuna are seemingly intent on keeping hold of a player who is under contract until 2030, Sunderland may take some encouragement from a fresh round of speculation on the continent suggesting that Real Madrid are unlikely to return for him any time soon.
As things stand, Muñoz’s former club do retain the option of activating a buy-back clause in his deal, but according to Noticias de Navarra, as relayed by Defensa Central, it would appear that they will not. While he is highly-rated in the Spanish capital, it is claimed that heightened competition for places in his preferred left-wing berth makes any kind of homecoming somewhat improbable.
It’s not all good news for the Black Cats, however, with this latest report also emphasising that, at the time of writing, Muñoz has no intention of leaving Osasuna in the immediate future.
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