Director Explains Player’s Situation After Sunderland’s Bid For €40m Man: Should The Black Cats Break The Bank? | OneFootball

Sunderland aggressively chased Víctor Muñoz during the winter transfer window. They sought to bolster their attacking options within the Premier League. According to a detailed report from Sport Witness on February 13th, the Wearside club initiated two significant verbal proposals for the Spanish winger.

The first offer sat at €20m. The subsequent bid reached €25m and included Eliezer Mayenda moving to Osasuna on a temporary loan basis. Management of the La Liga side refused to negotiate. They directed the English outfit toward the €40m release clause the player’s contract featured.

The deal fell apart because the Black Cats didn’t want to pay that much or come back with a better price. Braulio Vázquez, the sporting director at Osasuna, recently told DAZN and Marca he ignored the interest from the team that Régis Le Bris runs. Vázquez pointed out that the 22-year-old attacker never really thought about leaving.

He feels his current environment remains ideal for his professional growth. Muñoz moved from Real Madrid in July 2025. Since then, he has put in over 2,000 minutes and helped out with nine direct goal involvements. Sunderland might try again down the road. However, the buy-back option Real Madrid hold presents a substantial hurdle for any Premier League suitor.

“It depends on the player’s own wishes. He has had some opportunities, but at no point did he consider leaving because, as I said and as he himself has pointed out, he is in the right environment to continue growing,” he said.

“He’s back in the starting line-up [against Real Madrid], and in another team with different demands, he probably wouldn’t be,” Vázquez explained.

“Real Madrid have a buy-back option for several years. If exercised, it would be to bring him into the first team. They are a serious club in that regard,” he added.

Should the Black Cats Break the Bank for Muñoz in the Summer?

PAMPLONA, SPAIN – JANUARY 31: Victor Munoz of CA Osasuna is challenged by Renato Veiga of Villarreal CF during the LaLiga EA Sports match between CA Osasuna and Villarreal CF at Estadio El Sadar on January 31, 2026 in Pamplona, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

The current situation for Sunderland places them in a mid-table struggle. Goal-scoring consistency remains a glaring deficiency. The squad boasts 13 national team players, including 19-year-old Eliezer Mayenda. Despite this, the lack of a clinical edge has seen them slip to 12th in the standings. Chasing Víctor Muñoz represents a departure from the club’s typical recruitment model. Even so, his raw pace, which Real Madrid scouts once clocked as their fastest player, offers a profile they currently lack.

If the recruitment team decides to return for the Spaniard, they must compare his €40m price tag against his relatively modest return of five goals this term. Muñoz represents the Spain U21 setup. He carries the pedigree of the La Masia and Valdebebas academies. This suggests his potential remains incredibly high.

However, the buy-back deal Real Madrid kept is complicating the long-term investment value for the Sunderland hierarchy. The Wearside club might find more success by integrating Mayenda further or seeking a winger without such restrictive contractual entanglements. Logic suggests that spending nearly £35m on a single player should guarantee an immediate transformation of the front line. Right now, Muñoz cannot provide that guarantee.