Victor Munoz has detailed the phone call with Andoni Iraola that persuaded him to become the first new signing under the new Liverpool head coach. The Reds made a surprise swoop last month when they snapped up winger Munoz by triggering his £34.5 million release clause at Osasuna.
The 22-year-old is currently with the Spain World Cup squad and is hopeful of making his first appearance in the tournament during the last 32 clash against Austria on Thursday, having returned to training following a calf problem. Munoz has been signed to bolster Liverpool's wide attacking options following the exit of Mohamed Salah and the long-term injury suffered by Hugo Ekitike.
Iraola's Persuasive Call
Recalling his conversation with Iraola, Munoz said: "He called me and gave me confidence. He explained how his teams play, which is something that benefits me a lot, that way of constantly pressing. I think it's an ideal environment to continue growing as a footballer."
Munoz added: "That verticality, that way of trying to break games open, that pressure to try and overwhelm the opponent. These are things he looks for on the wing and they were very important in his decision to sign me."
He also expressed his eagerness to play in the Premier League: "It is a place where I can see myself playing. I'm eager to experience it, those end-to-end matches. I feel very comfortable when games are more open, something that's uncommon in La Liga. Those game situations, constantly being in transition, are something that could really benefit me."
Limited Viewing of Liverpool
Munoz admits he hadn't watched much of Liverpool ahead of completing his transfer. "In general, I haven't been someone who really enjoyed watching football matches," he said. "I prefer playing them."
Career Path and Ancelotti's Influence
Munoz started his career at Barcelona's La Masia youth academy before moving to Real Madrid, where he progressed through the ranks from the B team to the senior side under Carlo Ancelotti. However, he made only four appearances in his single season in the first team at the Bernabeu, during which he was heavily criticised by supporters on social media after missing a late chance in the 4-3 defeat at Barcelona minutes into his debut.
Ancelotti defended Munoz during the fallout. Munoz said: "He was the person who believed in me, who gave me the opportunity to make my debut with Real Madrid. He's more laid-back, but he also tried to help me a lot. It was a learning experience. I didn't make a bigger deal out of it than it was worth, because those kinds of situations happen all the time. It helped me grow a lot as a player. It's a situation that has led me to where I am today."
Playing Style and What to Expect
In a wide-ranging interview with Spanish news outlet El Pais, Munoz also addressed his playing style and what Liverpool supporters can expect when he begins training at the AXA Training Centre later in the summer. "Off the field, I'm a normal, family-oriented, quiet guy, but during matches, I'm really fired up," he said. "The duels, the game situations... I overthink everything during a match, thinking: this was good, this wasn't, this went well."
Munoz explained his positional shift: "There was a time when I played a lot centrally, as an attacking midfielder and an inside midfielder. But in my penultimate year as a youth player, when I was with the older kids, I started playing on the wing. They saw from some data that I had a lot of speed. The GPS changed my life. That's why I started playing on the wing."
