Liverpool beat Newcastle to signing of Spain international Munoz
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Sky Sports or go back to LFC Live.
Liverpool have signed Osasuna winger Victor Munoz for £34.5m.Munoz, currently at the World Cup with Spain, underwent a medical with Liverpool in the US and is expected to sign a six-year contract at Anfield. Newcastle thought they had a deal for the Spain international and even had the wheels in motion for Munoz to have a medical before Liverpool moved ahead of them in a repeat of last summer's move for Hugo Ekitike.Transfer Centre LIVE! | Liverpool news & transfers🔴Liverpool fixtures & scores | FREE Liverpool PL highlights▶️Got Sky?
Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺Choose the Sky Sports push notifications you want! 🔔Liverpool have had a long-term interest in Munoz, which was accelerated by the arrival of new head coach Andoni Iraola, who knows the player well from his extensive knowledge of LaLiga. Image: Newcastle thought they had a deal in place for Spain international Munoz Newcastle had the wheels in motion for a medical over in the US and felt they had a deal in place.But they were instructed by the player's representatives to wait over the last 24 hours.Liverpool had always been at the table for the Spain international, so they did not come in at the last minute, but Newcastle had been told the player wanted to sign for them.Newcastle are now licking their wounds inflicted by Liverpool again after what happened with Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike last summer, and are trying to get to the bottom of what happened in the last 24 hours.What does it mean for Diomande?Liverpool had always planned to sign more than one winger this summer, as they look to replace Mohamed Salah, and Munoz's arrival does not end their interest in RB Leipzig's in-demand winger Yan Diomande, who is their top wide target this summer.However, the 19-year-old Ivory Coast international will be very hard to get over the line because of the widespread interest from top clubs in Europe and Leipzig's attempts to sign him to a new contract.
Image: Ivory Coast's Yan Diomande (11) is also a target for Liverpool How do Liverpool see Munoz fitting in?Liverpool wanted to add more flexibility to their forward line this summer and Munoz fits that bill. He has primarily been used off the left but can play on both wings and also has the capacity to play through the middle.As well as being a multi-functional attacker, Munoz is a direct winger who will add pace to Liverpool's attack which was another priority for the summer window.Munoz's versatility will provide Iraola with more options and gives Liverpool a greater ability to cope when injuries hit as they did last season as well as enhancing competition for places.His ability to play in numerous positions is also seen as a positive inside Liverpool because he is unlikely to limit Rio Ngumoha's first-team opportunities.