TOTTENHAM AND SUNDERLAND MOVE TO HIJACK NEWCASTLE’S TRANSFER TARGET — AFTER THE MAGPIES HAD THEIR BID SENT STRAIGHT BACK TO THEM
Newcastle United thought they were closing in on one of La Liga’s most exciting young talents. Instead, they find themselves in the middle of a transfer battle they didn’t see coming.
Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Newcastle have submitted an official bid for Osasuna winger Victor Munoz, a player who has quickly become one of the most talked-about names in European football. The offer is reported to be in the range of £30-35 million, landing just below Osasuna’s release clause of approximately €40 million — a deliberate negotiating tactic that leaves room to manoeuvre without triggering the automatic buyout.
But here’s the problem for Newcastle. They are far from alone.
Munoz bagged seven goals and five assists in 36 appearances across all competitions this season. Only Lamine Yamal, Vinicius Jr, and Kylian Mbappe completed more dribbles than the 22-year-old in La Liga. Numbers like that don’t stay quiet for long, and the queue outside Osasuna’s door is getting longer by the day.
Tottenham had their eye on him long before Newcastle got serious. Reports from earlier in 2026 indicated that Spurs were prepared to activate the full €40 million release clause to get the deal done, which would effectively bypass any negotiation and hand them a significant advantage. Tottenham were described as looking to derail Real Madrid’s own plan for the player by moving quickly on the clause.
Sunderland, meanwhile, know this player better than most. The Black Cats made a €25 million offer to Osasuna in January, which also included the loan of Eli Mayenda as a sweetener. Osasuna rejected the proposal outright and pointed Sunderland straight to the release clause. A second offer from Sunderland, this time reportedly worth €35 million, was also turned away. They came back twice and got the door shut in their face both times. That suggests intent. Don’t be surprised if they return for a third attempt.
Then there’s the Real Madrid complication. Despite selling Munoz to Osasuna, Real Madrid secured a 50 percent sell-on clause and a buy-back option in the deal, and there are serious reports suggesting they may exercise it. According to El Debate, Real Madrid have identified Munoz as one of their priority summer signings and are planning to bring him back to the Bernabeu. If that happens, every Premier League club in the race goes home empty-handed.
His performances earned him a call-up to the Spanish national team, where he scored on his debut, and he is on course to feature at the 2026 World Cup. That level of exposure only drives his value higher and makes the window smaller for any club hoping to get a deal done before the tournament begins.
For Newcastle, the context matters. Munoz is seen internally as the ideal replacement for Anthony Gordon, who departed for Bayern Munich. Losing Gordon was a blow. Losing his replacement to a rival would be worse.
Reports suggest Munoz is happy with what Newcastle are offering and impressed by the project at St James’ Park. That’s encouraging. But happiness and a signed contract are two very different things, and Tottenham’s readiness to pay the full release clause means Newcastle may not get the luxury of a slow negotiation.
The transfer looks inevitable. The only question is who gets him.
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