Andoni Iraola repeats Jurgen Klopp transfer trick at Liverpool as call with £34m star emerges

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Spanish international Victor Munoz became the first recruit of the Iraola era last week when he penned a six-year-deal with the Reds.The 22-year-old forward is set to link up with his new team-mates on Merseyside in July, subject to a work permit, after Liverpool triggered the £34.5 million release clause in his Osasuna contract. The role played by Iraola also proved decisive, with the former Bournemouth boss repeating a trick used by Anfield legend Klopp more than a decade ago.Iraola informed Liverpool’s hierarchy shortly after replacing Arne Slot that he was a huge admirer of Munoz and believed the Spaniard would be an ideal fit for his high-intensity, aggressive style of play.

The same trick worked wonders for Klopp when he joined the Reds in October 2015.FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE! All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook pageMidfielder Marko Grujic became the first signing of the German’s reign after joining in January 2016 from boyhood club Red Star Belgrade in a deal worth £5.1 million.

The Serb had attracted interest from a host of top clubs, including Chelsea, Inter, AC Milan and Juventus, but chose 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. That call really cemented my desire to join Liverpool.”Unfortunately for him, things did not quite go to plan once he landed on Merseyside, with Grujic making just eight Premier League appearances during a four-year spell with the Reds.