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Liverpool’s move for Víctor Munoz has been one of the more exciting early stories of the summer, with the Reds striking a €40 million agreement with Osasuna for the Spain international on June 18.
The 22-year-old arrived with a growing reputation and plenty of intrigue around what he could add under Andoni Iraola.
But almost immediately after the transfer was confirmed, attention shifted to fitness concerns.
Munoz had already been dealing with a calf problem before linking up with Spain, and his recovery then suffered another blow during an individual programme with the national team.
The Spanish federation stated that he suffered an additional muscle injury during that recovery process, delaying his return to competition and leaving his availability dependent on how his symptoms developed.
There had at least been one encouraging sign before this latest setback. Munoz was named among the substitutes for Spain’s emphatic 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
However, the optimism has not lasted long.
The latest reports from Spain on Thursday offer a mixed but slightly reassuring picture.
Mundo Deportivo, via Sport Witness, says Munoz did not train fully with the main Spain group on Wednesday and will also be left out of the match squad for the final group-stage clash against Uruguay.
That said, he did complete running and interval work on his own, which indicates that his recovery is still moving forward rather than stalling completely.
Another update, this time from AS, adds that Munoz has reportedly been working with Spain psychologist Javier Lopez Vallejo.
It appears the Span staff are keen to support him through what has become a frustrating World Cup campaign.
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has also hinted that the winger could still play an important role later in the tournament.
Meanwhile, the Reds will simply want Munoz to complete his recovery properly, avoid another relapse, and arrive on Merseyside ready to start the next chapter.