Daniel Munoz has joined Nottingham Forest from Crystal Palace for £22 million, here's everything you need to know about the move.
Daniel Muñoz is set to become one of the most expensive 30-year-olds in his position as he joins Nottingham Forest from Crystal Palace on a bumper contract for a fee in the region of £22 million.
Palace planned to part ways with the Colombian this summer, and prepared to do so by signing two players in his position. Cashing in now after a successful handful of seasons at the club is the right decision, and will allow Palace to invest in the squad over the final days of the window.
The Colombian has completed his medical after he travelled to Nottingham, which we exclusively revealed on Saturday morning.
Muñoz was prioritised by Oliver Glasner after the pair had worked so well together in South London, and whilst the move is genuinely beneficial for both parties, there has been the usual flurry on social media between the two sets of fans.
Muñoz an excellent servant for Palace
During his two and a half seasons in South London, Muñoz played 107 times across all competitions, scoring eleven goals and providing fifteen assists.
He was a pivotal player under Oliver Glasner, signing for Palace just a month before Glasner took the reins. Muñoz was perfect for the Austrian’s system, and it’s therefore no surprise that Glasner has made a push to sign him once more.
Muñoz got what it meant to wear the shirt and was an excellent player for the club. He gave absolutely everything every time he put the shirt on, and was a huge part of all three trophy wins at Palace.
Palace on the strong end of the deal
The similarities between this deal for Muñoz and that between Palace and Fulham when Joachim Andersen was sold for £24.5 million. His performances quickly fell off and whilst at first Fulham fans gloated that they’d mugged Palace off, they were eventually left with egg on their faces.
There is no doubt that over the last few seasons Muñoz has been one of the best attacking wing-backs in the world. However, his physicality and athleticism are incredibly important for his game.
The Colombian often spoke of his desire to join one of Europe’s top clubs, and links to the likes of Barcelona came and went during his time at Palace. Now, he joins his old manager at a club with no European football to offer.
After turning thirty in May, there is a chance that his form begins to dip, and he cannot maintain the level of performance he was producing consistently at Palace.
Palace originally paid just £6.6 million for Muñoz from KRC Genk, and will be making almost four times that outlay with this sale. The club have been consistently criticised for the way they sell players, but earning a strong fee for a player that has already been replaced is excellent business.
Not only that, but with both Anan Khalaili and Óscar Mingueza through the door, Muñoz has already been replaced, and so this money can be used elsewhere.
Ultimately it’s the right time to sell and whilst it will be sad to see Muñoz go, it makes a lot of sense to part ways with the Colombian now.
