Liverpool bound! Former Real forward is Iraola's first signing

Another transfer in which the real winner is Real Madrid! The club has already signed Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva, and Ibrahima Konate, but it also had reason to celebrate after academy graduate Víctor Munoz completed a move to Liverpool FC. The deal was hinted at on Thursday morning and officially confirmed later that evening, making the former Osasuna winger the first signing of Andoni Iraola's tenure at Anfield. What makes this transfer so special? Munoz came through Real Madrid's academy, although he made only four appearances for the first team, accumulating just 47 minutes on the pitch before moving to CA Osasuna. There, he flourished, attracting the attention of Premier League clubs and eventually earning a transfer to Liverpool. Real protected its interests by securing 50 percent of any future transfer fee, and it also retained a buy-back clause, which has now been incorporated into the player's agreement involving the English club.

Liverpool have agreed to trigger Munoz's 40 million euros release clause, with the payment to be made in two installments. However, not all of that money will end up in Osasuna's coffers. When Real sold the player to Osasuna last June, the two clubs agreed to split any future profit equally. As a result, 20 million will remain in Pamplona, where Munoz was developed into a top-flight player and earned the trust of Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, becoming a Spanish international in the process. The other 20 million euros will go to Real Madrid.

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On top of that, Real had already received five million for selling the winger to Osasuna last June. And perhaps most importantly, Madrid still retain the option to bring Munoz back in future seasons thanks to the buy-back clause. From their perspective, it is a superb piece of business. The same can be said for Osasuna. The club earned four times more than it originally invested in signing the player, who had also spent part of his youth career with FC Barcelona. In La Liga, Munoz scored six goals and provided two assists, while also contributing one goal and three assists in the Copa del Rey. He proved to be both a sporting and financial success.

That is why Iraola was so eager to bring him to Liverpool, beating out Newcastle in the race for his signature. The Magpies submitted the bid which was accepted, but the player's representatives dragged on with the answer, waiting for the Reds. When they matched the offer, the player choose Liverpool, just like Hugo Ekitike the year before. Nevertheless, Munoz faces a huge challenge. He arrives as an option for a position that was occupied for years by Mohamed Salah, whose productivity set an extraordinarily high standard. Liverpool will therefore need to be patient with the Spaniard, which may explain why the two sides agreed on a contract running until 2032. The deal will be formally signed once Munoz completes his World Cup campaign with the Spain national football team.