Victor Munoz has become the first signing of the Andoni Iraola era at Liverpool, with the Spanish forward joining the Reds from Osasuna after a personal call from the manager convinced him to choose Anfield over rival clubs
Ben Pawlowski
04:37, 23 Jun 2026Updated 04:42, 23 Jun 2026
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JUNE 04: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Andoni Iraola new manager of Liverpool Football Club at Anfield on June 04, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola spoke to Victor Munoz over the phone to get his Liverpool switch done(Image: Andrew Powell, Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has already borrowed a page from Jurgen Klopp's playbook by employing the same transfer strategy that helped the German secure his first signing at Anfield.
Spanish international Victor Munoz became the inaugural recruit of the Iraola era last week when he signed a six-year deal with the Reds. The 22-year-old attacker is expected to join his new teammates in July, pending a work permit, after Liverpool activated the £34.5 million ($46M) release clause in his Osasuna contract.
For some time, it seemed Premier League rival Newcastle United was the frontrunner in the race for the highly-rated youngster, who notched seven goals and five assists in 36 appearances last season. The Magpies had earmarked the nippy speedster as a potential successor to Barcelona-bound Anthony Gordon and were believed to be confident of landing his signature following encouraging discussions with the player's representatives.
But Munoz will instead be turning out on Merseyside next season after sporting director Richard Hughes moved swiftly to seal the deal.
Notably, Liverpool agreed to pay the release clause in full — in contrast to Newcastle, who had hoped to negotiate a reduced fee. The part played by Iraola also proved crucial, with the former Bournemouth manager repeating a tactic used by Anfield legend Klopp more than a decade ago.
Shortly after succeeding Arne Slot, Iraola told Liverpool's top brass that he was a great admirer of Munoz and felt the Spaniard would be a perfect fit for his high-tempo, pressing style of play. The two subsequently held an in-depth phone conversation during which Iraola explained precisely how he intended to utilize the winger.
Two male individuals dressed in matching red and black sports jerseys with logos are standing side by side against a pink backdrop adorned with text and logos.
Jurgen Klopp used a similar tactic to secure the services of Marko Grujic, his first signing as Liverpool's manager(Image: ( John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images))
That conversation ultimately persuaded Munoz that Liverpool was the right move, despite mounting interest from rival clubs including Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester United. It was a tactic that proved equally effective for Klopp when he arrived at Anfield in October 2015.
Midfielder Marko Grujic became the first acquisition of the German's tenure, joining in January 2016 from boyhood club Red Star Belgrade in a deal worth £5.1 million.
The Serbian international had attracted attention from a number of top European clubs, including Chelsea, Inter, AC Milan, and Juventus, but opted for Liverpool after Klopp made an unexpected personal call.
"His vision is that I should be something between a No. 6 and a No. 10, what they call a box-to-box midfielder," Grujic explained shortly after signing.
A CORUNA, SPAIN - JUNE 04: Victor Munoz of Spain looks on during the international friendly match between Spain and Iraq at Abanca Balaidos stadium on June 04, 2026, in A Coruna, Spain. (Photo By Irina R. Hipolito/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Munoz will arrive at Anfield after Liverpool hijacked Newcastle's deal for the Spanish attacker(Image: Europa Press Sports, Europa Press via Getty Images)
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"My only request was that I didn't want to be loaned out, I just want to play for Liverpool. But he was very open, told me about how he sees my development. When a coach like that calls you on the phone personally, that's the greatest privilege. That call really cemented my desire to join Liverpool."
Regrettably, things failed to unfold as anticipated once he arrived on Merseyside, with Grujic managing a mere eight Premier League outings across a four-year stint with the Reds.
Three of those seasons were spent away on loan at Cardiff City and Hertha Berlin, before he sealed a permanent switch to Portuguese outfit Porto in 2020.