Liverpool close in on Spain winger as first signing under Andoni Iraola

Liverpool are set to sign Victor Munoz for £34.5m after triggering the release clause for the Osasuna winger. The Spain international will become Andoni Iraola ’s first signing and the start of Liverpool’s revamp of the forward line as they look to replace Mohamed Salah. Liverpool’s surprise move for the 22-year-old came when Newcastle had made the first move to buy him and, as with last summer’s transfer of Hugo Ekitike , the Merseyside club took one of United’s transfer targets. But Munoz had also attracted interest from Manchester United, Bayer Leverkusen, Real Madrid and Barcelona. New head coach Iraola accelerated Liverpool’s interest in his fellow Spaniard, making it clear he wanted to sign a player he knows well from La Liga. Liverpool see Munoz, who scored seven goals for Osasuna last season, as a versatile forward who can fill in across the forward line. He can operate on the right wing, the role Salah occupied for much of the last nine years, or the left, where they did not buy to replace the sold Luis Diaz last summer, and they are confident the Spaniard’s versatility means it will not affect Rio Ngumoha ’s playing time. Munoz will also be an option at centre-forward, where Ekitike is set to miss the start of the season with an Achilles injury. He is likely to become the first of two forward arrivals this summer, with Liverpool also interested in Yan Diomande, though also aware a deal would be difficult because RB Leipzig are demanding a huge fee and because Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain are also interested. Federico Chiesa, who has attracted interest from Italy, could leave. Liverpool remain keen on Yan Diomande (AP) Munoz is set to sign a six-year deal after passing a medical in the United States, where he is in the Spain squad for the World Cup , and his fee will be paid in two instalments. Munoz was at Real Madrid before joining Osasuna but was reluctant to return to the Bernabeu this summer amid concerns he would not get enough first-team football. Meanwhile, and while he was also at La Masia when he was younger, a return to Barcelona would not have been countenanced by Real, who had a matching-rights option. Barcelona instead signed Anthony Gordon from Newcastle, who had hoped to replace him with Munoz.