Alaba: Real Madrid confirm signing of Austria international
Real Madrid have announced the signing of defender David Alaba on a free transfer from Bayern Munich. The Austrian joins on a five-year contract.
Real Madrid have sealed the signing of David Alaba, the LaLiga club announced in a statement on Friday.
Alaba joins Real Madrid on five-year contract
The Austrian international defender, who can play at centre-back or left-back, is to join Madrid on a free transfer following the expiry of his Bayern Munich contract on 30 June, and has agreed a five-year deal with Los Blancos.
Alaba, 28, made 431 appearances for Bayern during an 11-year spell in the Bundesliga club's first team, winning no fewer than 27 trophies, including two Champions League titles.
His unveiling as a Madrid player will take place after this summer’s European Championship, in which he and Austria have been drawn in a group alongside the Netherlands, the Ukraine and North Macedonia.
Alaba house hunting in Madrid this week
Alaba’s move to Madrid has been an open secret for some time now. Talks over his signing began in 2020 before being stepped up in early 2021, with super agent Pini Zahavi representing the player, who was in the Spanish capital on a house-hunting expedition earlier this week.
Alaba, who can also operate as a defensive midfielder, has opted for Madrid ahead of suitors such as Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Barcelona, and it is understood he will earn around 12 million euros net per season at the Bernabéu.
Real Madrid hoping Mbappé joins Alaba at the Bernabéu
He is Los Merengues’ first signing ahead of the 2021/22 season, as the club bid to freshen up a squad which also needs a new head coach, in the wake of Zinedine Zidane’s resignation on Thursday.
PSG striker Kylian Mbappé remains Madrid’s priority summer target, while further arrivals are not being ruled out.
Alaba’s signing may well have an impact on outgoing transfer business at Real Madrid. Centre-back Raphaël Varane continues to eye an end-of season exit - and, with the Austrian added to the squad, Madrid can now negotiate the sale of a footballer who will be available on a free transfer in a year’s time.
Meanwhile, club captain and fellow central defender Sergio Ramos, whose contract talks with Madrid are at an impasse, must decide in the coming weeks whether to accept Los Blancos’ offer or depart when his deal expires in June.