Nottingham Forest Agree £22m Deal to Sign Crystal Palace Wing-Back Daniel Munoz

Nottingham Forest have agreed a deal worth at least £22 million to sign Crystal Palace and Colombia wing-back Daniel Munoz, with the 30-year-old set to reunite with manager Oliver Glasner on a three-year contract, according to reports from BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel and The Athletic published on August 29, 2026.

The deal, structured as a £20 million upfront fee plus £2 million in add-ons, was confirmed by multiple outlets after Forest submitted their initial bid on August 27. Munoz is expected to undergo a medical in the coming days before completing his move to the City Ground, making him one of Forest’s most significant summer signings.

Deal Structure and Timeline

Forest’s pursuit of Munoz accelerated rapidly in the final days of the summer transfer window. According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Forest submitted a formal proposal worth up to £22 million on August 27, 2026 — comprising a £20 million guaranteed fee and £2 million in performance-related add-ons. Crystal Palace spent two days weighing the offer before agreeing terms on August 29, 2026.

BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel was first to report that the two clubs had moved past the negotiating stage, confirming that Munoz had also agreed personal terms — a three-year contract with a one-year option — before the medical was scheduled. The speed of the deal underscored Forest’s urgency to bolster their defensive width ahead of the Premier League’s transfer deadline.

Who Is Daniel Munoz? Background and Career History

Daniel Munoz is a 30-year-old Colombian international wing-back, born on September 28, 1996, who has established himself as one of the Premier League’s most consistent right-sided defenders since arriving in England. His attacking instinct, crossing ability, and relentless work rate have made him a sought-after commodity — and his move to Nottingham Forest represents a homecoming of sorts, given that it reunites him with Oliver Glasner, the Austrian manager who transformed Crystal Palace before departing for the City Ground in the summer of 2026.

Munoz began his professional career in his native Colombia, coming through the youth ranks before moving to Europe. He spent time at Genk in Belgium, where he developed into a reliable and aggressive wing-back capable of operating in a back-four or a back-five system. His ability to bomb forward, combine with wingers, and then track back defensively attracted the attention of Premier League clubs, and Crystal Palace signed him in January 2024.

At Selhurst Park, Munoz flourished under Glasner’s high-intensity 4-3-3 and 3-4-3 systems, quickly becoming one of the Eagles’ most important players. He played a key role in Palace’s impressive 2024-25 Premier League campaign, contributing defensively and providing a consistent outlet on the right flank. In April 2025, Palace rewarded his form by handing him a new contract — a deal that still had two years to run at the time of Forest’s approach. That made negotiating a sale more complex, but the £22 million fee was sufficient to convince Palace to sanction the departure before the August 2026 deadline.

The Glasner Factor: A Reunion That Changes Everything

The most compelling narrative thread in this transfer is the player-manager reunion. Oliver Glasner left Crystal Palace to take charge of Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2026, and one of his first priorities was adding players he trusted from his time at Selhurst Park. Munoz was reportedly a personal target for Glasner from the moment he walked through the doors at the City Ground.

Glasner’s relationship with Munoz is built on mutual understanding of defensive structure and attacking transition. Under the Austrian, Munoz consistently operated as a high-energy, technically sharp wing-back who understood exactly when to push forward and when to hold his position. That trust — forged over 18 months working together at Palace — is precisely what makes this signing appealing for both player and club.

Forest fans will remember the 2024-25 Premier League season when Munoz caused them serious problems on the right flank in Palace’s 2-1 win at the City Ground. Now, he will be wearing red rather than facing it — a shift in allegiance that could prove significant as Forest build on their recent impressive Premier League campaigns.

Speaking after Forest’s opening weekend draw against Liverpool — a match that highlighted the club’s need for additional quality in wide defensive areas — Glasner was asked broadly about his recruitment plans. “We know what kind of profile we need and we’re working hard to get it done before the window closes,” BBC Sport reported the Forest manager as saying, without confirming specific targets at that stage.

Crystal Palace’s Perspective: Why Did They Sell?

The decision to sell Munoz was not straightforward for Crystal Palace. The Colombian had two years remaining on his contract following the April 2025 renewal, and from a pure contractual standpoint, Palace were under no obligation to accept Forest’s offer. However, several factors pushed the south London club toward accepting.

First, Munoz had expressed a desire to reunite with Glasner — a manager under whom he had thrived and whose tactical system suited his skills perfectly. Clubs are generally reluctant to retain players whose minds are elsewhere, particularly as transfer windows close. Second, £22 million for a 30-year-old represents strong business from Palace’s perspective. At his age, Munoz’s peak selling value is passing; holding him for another season only to potentially lose him on a free transfer or for a reduced fee in 2027 or 2028 would represent a worse outcome financially.

Palace’s new manager — appointed after Glasner’s departure — will now look to the transfer market to recruit a replacement right-sided defender before the deadline. Reports on August 30 suggested Palace had already identified targets in that position, though no deal was imminent at the time of writing.

Where Munoz Fits Into Forest’s System

Nottingham Forest under Glasner are expected to operate primarily with a high defensive line, pressing system that requires disciplined, athletic wing-backs capable of contributing on both sides of the ball. Munoz is a natural fit for a back-four as a right-back, or he can slot into a back-five as an attacking right wing-back — giving Glasner tactical flexibility depending on the opponent.

His arrival does not necessarily signal the end of any existing Forest player’s time at the club — rather, it adds genuine competition and depth in a position where Forest were light heading into the new Premier League season. Forest’s early results in the 2026-27 campaign showed promise but also exposed vulnerabilities at full-back, with Glasner rotating through options that were clearly stop-gap solutions.

This summer, Forest had already made significant recruitment moves. Nottingham Forest confirmed the £50m signing of Liam Delap from Chelsea in what was described as a club-record deal — a statement of intent that underlines chairman Evangelos Marinakis’s ambitions for the club. Adding Munoz at £22 million takes Forest’s summer spend well past £70 million, reflecting a genuine attempt to compete for European places rather than simply survive in the top flight.

Daniel Munoz at a Glance: Key Statistics