Coach Wouter Vrancken of KRC Genk has stated that he is pleased that defender Daniel Muñoz is joining Crystal Palace, and he has refuted rumours that he was pressuring for the transfer.
As Muñoz appears to be nearing a move to Crystal Palace before the end of the January transfer window, the Genk manager has been chatting with HLN.
After pursuing him all month, Palace now seems to have met Genk’s demands, as an agreement was reached earlier today on a €10 million contract that includes bonuses.
Following weeks of negotiations and personal efforts by Muñoz himself, the player, who had refused to train in a bid to facilitate the move, is now reported by Het Laatste Nieuws to have traveled to London today to finalize his transfer to Crystal Palace. The deal is reportedly close to being concluded.
This development is understandably disheartening for the Belgian side, as they not only lose a key player but will also be without him for the Limburg derby against STVV on Sunday. Nevertheless, it appears that Genk coach Vrancken was well-prepared for this possibility and has expressed support for Muñoz amidst reports of his endeavors to secure the move to Crystal Palace.
Vrancken stated, “I am happy for him that he can take this step. It’s a shame for us because he’s a super important player, someone you can go to war with, and he also has impressive statistics. This morning he said goodbye to the group, and he was visibly emotional.”
Addressing the situation, Vrancken mentioned that the headlines about Muñoz’s departure might be slightly exaggerated and clarified that the decision was made through good consultation. He acknowledged Muñoz’s professionalism in keeping him informed about every development and noted that, despite the less-than-ideal circumstances, Muñoz remained respectful.
Understanding Muñoz’s desire to take this step at the age of 27, Vrancken also recognized the financial aspect of the decision. Reflecting on the team’s recent departures, he remarked, “After the departure of Onuachu and Trésor, he is the next player with such stats to leave us. Of that magnitude, only Paintsil remains. It is a challenge to accommodate that.”
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