Alaba edging closer to Real Madrid as Ramos, Varane futures still unresolved
The possible exits of Sergio Ramos and Raphaël Varane make the arrival of Alaba to Real Madrid ever more likely, with the club ready to meet the Austrian's salary demands.
“Devastated that my last game in the Champions League with Bayern was a bitter one. The whole squad and I were determined and hungry to reach the semi-finals. It hurts. What I do know is that we became champions not only because of the victories, but also because of the setbacks of the past. We will not waste the experience of this loss.”
These were David Alaba’s words following his final Champions League game for Bayern after the German club was eliminated from the competition that it won last August. Just one day later, Real Madrid booked their place in the semi-finals of the tournament for the ninth time in 11 seasons. In all probability, the Austrian defender will be wearing the white of Madrid in next season’s edition of the competition.
Ramos, Varane and Marcelo’s Real Madrid futures up in the air
The possible exits of Sergio Ramos and Raphaël Varane, and perhaps also that of Marcelo, make the arrival of Alaba to Madrid ever more likely. The versatile left footer would come in to occupy the position of left-sided center back and could also cover the left back position in the absence of Ferland Mendy.
In the case of Ramos, the captain’s contract talks with Madrid are still at an impasse and the club is now preparing for his departure this summer.
Alaba has participated in 39 matches across all competitions this season, playing as the left-sided central defender in 31 of those games. He has also played as left back once, holding midfielder twice and central midfielder on five occasions. And this versatility is one of the key factors for his prospective arrival at Madrid.
Madrid ready to meet Alaba’s salary demands
Meanwhile, the recent performances of Nacho and Militao have instilled some calm at the club regarding the possible exits of the two current starting central defenders. In the case of Nacho, the club has noted the huge step forward the home-grown defender has taken in the absence of Ramos and Varane. The character he showed against Liverpool and in the Clásico has earned him even more respect and consideration among the board and, above all, among the fans. For his part, Militao also managed to cleared up some doubts with his recent performances.
Reports are Madrid are prepared to meet Alaba’s salary demands of €11 million net per season, which would place him among the highest paid members of the squad. Should he join Madrid, he will once again coincide with Toni Kroos, with whom he shared a dressing room at Bayern for three seasons. It has even been rumored that the Austrian is looking for a house in Madrid’s exclusive La Finca neighborhood, precisely where Kroos lives.