Liverpool Sign Victor Munoz for €40m but Faces Injury Concern

Liverpool have their first signing for the 2026/27 season – and, in keeping with recent history, their first injury concern to go with it.

Victor Munoz, the highly rated Spain winger, has completed a six-year move to Anfield after sporting director Richard Hughes activated his €40m release clause at Osasuna. The deal was pushed through quickly at the request of head coach Andoni Iraola, who made the 22-year-old a priority target for his first summer in charge.

The clause will be paid in two instalments, with Real Madrid – Munoz’s former club – entitled to half of the fee. Madrid had previously inserted a buyback option when they sold him to Osasuna in 2025 but chose not to exercise it, clearing the path for Liverpool to step in.

That path was not clear for long. Newcastle believed they were close to securing Munoz, only for Liverpool to overtake them late in the race, a familiar storyline after recent transfer tussles between the clubs. The former Barcelona academy product is seen as a player with the pace and directness to light up the Premier League flanks.

Medical drama at Spain camp

The formalities were completed while Munoz was away with Spain at their FIFA World Cup training base. His medical took place on Wednesday at the national team facilities in Spain, according to multiple reports.

Munoz had joined up with the squad carrying a hamstring complaint, but the expectation inside the Spain camp was that he would recover in time for their second group game. Spain opened with a 1-1 draw against Cape Verde and face Saudi Arabia on Sunday, a fixture earmarked as Munoz’s likely return.

That plan has now been torn up.

The Spanish football federation (RFEF) has confirmed a setback in his recovery, placing a cloud over both his immediate World Cup involvement and the start of his Liverpool chapter.

“During the scheduled and individualized recovery process, an additional muscle injury has occurred that will delay his return to competition,” read a federation statement, quoted by Marca. “His availability for the upcoming matches will depend on the evolution of his symptoms.”

Munoz has been ruled out of Sunday’s clash with Saudi Arabia on June 21, and his participation deeper into the tournament is now in doubt.

Liverpool’s uneasy déjà vu

For Liverpool, the long-term view remains positive. There is no suggestion the issue will affect Munoz’s broader fitness or his ability to contribute over the length of his six-year contract. Yet given the club’s recent experience with new arrivals, the timing could hardly feel more ominous.

Last season, the outgoing Premier League champions were repeatedly hit by injuries to fresh signings. Giovanni Leoni, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike all suffered long-term problems during their first year at Anfield, disrupting Iraola’s attempts to build continuity. Jeremie Frimpong and Giorgi Mamardashvili also endured spells on the sidelines as the squad was reshaped.

Liverpool had hoped this summer would mark a reset: new signings bedding in cleanly, a full pre-season, a clear rhythm established before the title defence. Instead, barely 24 hours after Munoz’s €40m switch was completed, the so‑called “curse” has reared its head again.

For now, Liverpool and Spain will wait on the winger’s response to treatment and the next set of medical updates. If the quicksilver wide man recovers as expected, he will arrive on Merseyside as a World Cup international with a point to prove and a fanbase ready to embrace him.

If the setbacks linger, the question will hang in the air: is this just unfortunate timing, or the first test of Liverpool’s new era before a ball has even been kicked?