Liverpool Plot Fresh Winger Raid After Munoz Hijack; Diomande and Barcola in Sights

Liverpool have pulled off a transfer coup, swooping in to land Osasuna's Víctor Munoz just as Newcastle appeared to have the deal wrapped up. The move represents the Reds' answer to Mohamed Salah's departure, though it's far from the final chapter in their summer recruitment drive.

The bombshell arrived late Wednesday evening when transfer insider Fabrizio Romano confirmed the hijack was complete. Liverpool moved swiftly to activate Munoz's €40m release clause and verbally agree terms with the winger, leaving the Magpies empty-handed after days of advanced negotiations. The deal's speed was partly down to Munoz's modest salary at his Spanish club, making the financial package straightforward to finalize.

However, Romano has made clear this signing doesn't represent the end of Liverpool's winger shopping. Under the stewardship of new manager Andoni Iraola, and with recruitment chief Richard Hughes orchestrating plans behind the scenes, the club intends to add at least one more wide player to their squad.

Two names remain firmly in the frame. Yan Diomande of RB Leipzig continues to feature prominently on Liverpool's radar, having been tracked for some time. Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola—long admired by the Anfield hierarchy—remains very much in consideration, despite also attracting interest from Arsenal.

Romano's assessment suggests Arsenal's priority lies elsewhere, with Morgan Rogers their primary target. That could leave an opening for Liverpool to make their move for Barcola, though nothing is imminent at this stage. The competition for Diomande remains fluid, but one thing is certain: Munoz is merely the appetizer in what promises to be a busy summer for the Reds' flanks.