Newcastle United have missed out on their main transfer target for the ongoing transfer window in Osasuna winger Victor Munoz.
The news emerged out of the blue on Wednesday, when Liverpool made a late move to sign the Spain international, securing him by paying Osasuna the release clause attached to the player’s contract.
Newcastle had targeted the World Cup participant as the best replacement for the departed Anthony Gordon, who joined Barcelona in a £70 million deal last month.
The Magpies were reportedly
confident of finalising a deal during or after the World Cup, but negotiations with Osasuna became drawn out, and Liverpool did what NUFC should have done: rushing a deal amid the WC without waiting for it to be over, and paying the very-affordable—£34.6 million—release clause outright without having to deal with the Spanish side.
Munoz scored six goals and added two assists in 34 La Liga matches last season before earning a place in Spain’s World Cup squad. He is expected to undergo his medical in the United States.
For Newcastle, the development is another transfer setback in an endless list of whiffs that have the Magpies on the verge of putting together a consecutive-strike-out record, with too many names to mention.
The Magpies, for now and after entering the summer, labeling the transfer window as one that would reshape the club for the future, have just signed a backup goalie in Ewen Jaouen while losing one starter and being on the verge of sending another one away in Sandro Tonali.
Here’s hoping for some good news on any front, but this is definitely not the greatest start to the business we were promised.
