Liverpool Signs Victor Munoz but Faces Injury Scare

Liverpool have their first signing of the 2026/27 season – and their first scare.

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, struck swiftly at the urging of head coach Andoni Iraola, underlines Liverpool’s intent to refresh their attacking options. It also arrives with an immediate complication.

Liverpool win race for Munoz

Newcastle thought they had him. Liverpool took him.

The outgoing Premier League champions have once again outmanoeuvred the Tynesiders in the market, stepping in decisively to secure the 22-year-old, who came through Barcelona’s academy before moving to Real Madrid and then Osasuna in 2025.

Real Madrid declined to exercise their buyback option, clearing the path for Liverpool to move. The €40m clause has been triggered and will be paid in two instalments, with Madrid due half of the proceeds, a reminder of how closely the Spanish giants have tracked his development.

Munoz underwent his medical on Wednesday at Spain’s FIFA World Cup training facilities, according to multiple reports, as the final formality before the transfer was confirmed. By then, Liverpool believed they had landed one of Europe’s most exciting wide prospects.

Then the medical brought a jolt.

World Cup setback for Spain’s winger

Munoz had reported for World Cup duty complaining of a hamstring issue. Spain’s medical staff initially expected him to recover in time for their second group game, against Saudi Arabia on Sunday, after a 1-1 draw with Cape Verde on matchday one.

Spain were hopeful. They are no longer.

The Spanish football federation (RFEF) has confirmed a setback in his recovery, placing his immediate World Cup involvement in serious doubt.

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

He is definitively ruled out of Sunday’s fixture on June 21. Beyond that, Spain can only wait. So can Liverpool.

There is no suggestion that Munoz faces a long-term problem, but the timing is grim for all involved: a record move for the player, a World Cup on home soil for Spain, and a club still haunted by the memory of last season’s fitness crises.

A familiar fear at Anfield

At Liverpool, the word “injury” attached to a new signing now carries a particular sting.

Last season, the club’s incoming recruits were ravaged. Giovanni Leoni, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike all endured long-term absences during their first year on Merseyside, disrupting plans and stretching Iraola’s squad at key moments. Jeremie Frimpong and Giorgi Mamardashvili also suffered spells on the sidelines, never quite able to settle into a consistent rhythm.

Anfield had hoped this summer would mark a reset: fresh faces, clean bills of health, a full pre-season to integrate into Iraola’s high-intensity system. Instead, barely 24 hours after Munoz’s €40m move was sealed, talk of a “curse” around new arrivals has resurfaced.

For Hughes and Iraola, the priority now is clarity rather than panic. Spain’s medical bulletins over the coming days will be watched closely on Merseyside. Liverpool are convinced of Munoz’s long-term fitness and ceiling; this is an early bump in the road, not a reroute.

Still, it changes the immediate picture. Instead of using the World Cup as a global stage to showcase Liverpool’s latest signing, supporters will be left scouring updates and replaying clips from Osasuna, imagining how his quicksilver bursts down the flank might translate to a Premier League touchline.

When he does finally pull on the red shirt, the expectation will be sharp and unforgiving. Liverpool have paid heavily, beaten a domestic rival to his signature and tied him down for six years. The club believes he will soon be strutting his stuff at Anfield.

The only question now is how long they have to wait.