Andoni Iraola could not have been clearer about how he plans to change Liverpool when speaking in his opening press conference. “We have to be a team that works hard, intense and aggressive.” That shift in approach is embodied by Victor Munoz.Munoz, the 23-year-old winger signed from Osasuna this summer in a £34.5m deal, made that explicit himself. He was asked why Iraola had decided to bring him to Anfield as part of the Liverpool rebuild.
“My directness, the way that I try to break open the matches, the way I press and try to suffocate the opposition,” said Munoz, in a recent interview with El Pais. “Those are the qualities he looks for in a winger, and they were a big reason why he made the decision.”
There was a glimpse of that in his first game for Liverpool, a pre-season fixture against Monaco at Anfield on Sunday. Munoz, in one of his first actions, left his full-back trailing as he darted down the wing towards the Kop. It was an encouraging cameo off the bench.
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Highlights from the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool and Monaco
Out of possession, there is absolute clarity over what Iraola demands of his forwards. That was evident at Bournemouth, where winger Marcus Tavernier won possession of the ball more times in the final third of the pitch than any Liverpool player last season.
Evanilson and Junior Kroupi were also among the top 30 on the list. It is fundamental to Iraola’s philosophy, his Bournemouth side having ranked among the top two teams in the Premier League for sprints in each of his three seasons in charge of the club.
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2026-08-10 12:00:00
