Spurs Ready to Muscle In on Real Madrid's Munoz Deal with £35m Release Clause Trigger

Tottenham are plotting to scupper Real Madrid's hopes of reclaiming Victor Munoz by moving swiftly to activate the Osasuna winger's £35m release clause, according to reports.

The Lilywhites find themselves in the mire domestically, languishing 14th in the Premier League table with just seven wins from 23 matches. Under Thomas Frank's stewardship, Spurs have managed only two victories across their last ten outings in all competitions, leaving the manager increasingly under the microscope to deliver results.

January business beckons as a potential lifeline, with the club eyeing reinforcements across multiple positions. Conor Gallagher has already arrived, but Spurs continue casting their net wide—midfielders, wingers, and strikers all on the agenda. Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta has featured in the conversation, though it's the pursuit of Munoz that has caught fire.

The 22-year-old Barcelona native joined Osasuna last summer from Real Madrid for €5m and has quickly made an impression in La Liga's lower reaches. Across 21 appearances, Munoz has chipped in with three goals and an assist, operating flexibly across the frontline and attracting the gaze of several heavyweight suitors.

Tottenham have emerged as frontrunners in the race to land the young talent, with every indication they're prepared to trigger his €40m—or £35m—release clause to get the deal done without delay. The strategy aims to avoid being dragged into an escalating bidding war that would only inflate the asking price.

This represents a direct challenge to Real Madrid's gameplan. Los Blancos inserted an €8m buy-back option into the deal when Munoz departed and were banking on exercising it before flogging him to the highest bidder for profit. Tottenham's willingness to pay the full release clause directly threatens to torpedo that arrangement, potentially leaving Madrid with nothing more than a cut of the sale proceeds.

The window of opportunity may be narrow. How quickly Real Madrid act on their buy-back could prove decisive in determining whether Munoz ends up in north London or remains under their control. For Tottenham, desperate to turn their season around, landing an exciting young winger could prove the catalyst they desperately need.