Published 20:12 IST, February 16th 2021
David Alaba to part ways with Bayern Munich after 13 years, likely to move to Real Madrid
28-year-old David Alaba will exit the club after having spent 13 years in Germany where he won numerous championships along with Bayern Munich.
Putting an end to all speculations, David Alaba on Tuesday confirmed that he would be parting ways with German champions Bayern Munich at the end of this season. The 28-year-old defender will exit the club after having spent 13 years in Germany where he won numerous championships along with Munich. Alaba has also confirmed that he has not decided on his future club as of now.
"I have made the decision to leave FC Bayern at the end of this season and try something new. It obviously wasn't an easy decision," David Alaba said in a statement on Tuesday.
Recently, the 28-year-old Australian lifted the Club World Cup which marked Bayern Munich's historic feat of winning six trophies in a season, an achievement that only Barcelona boasted of to date. A Bayern graduate, Alaba had played for the club's under 17 and 19 teams before making his debut for the senior team in August 2009. He scored his first goal for FC Bayern in the same month and was consequently named in the club's Champions League squad that season.
After a brief stint with Bayern, Alaba moved to Hoffenheim on loan in January 2011 for a year. After returning, Alaba soon drifted into the team as a regular member. In 2012, he failed to appear in his first Champions League final against Chelsea, after being booked in the semi-finale. However, on 18 December 2012, Alaba was named Austrian Footballer of the Year for the second year running. In 2013, he signed a new contract with Bayern Munich till 2018 and won the Austrian Footballer of the Year title for the third consecutive time.
Alaba to Madrid?
In the 2019-20 season, he was a part of Bayern Munich's second treble feat as the Germans lifted the Champions League title after defeating PSG. In the same year, the club approached Alaba seeking a swap deal with Manchester City which the defender rejected, terming it as a 'slap in the face'.
While David Alaba's destination for the 2021-22 season has not been confirmed yet, La Liga giants Real Madrid have emerged as the frontrunners in signing the Austrian as a free agent. According to Fabrizio Romano, Alaba has reached a verbal agreement with Real Madrid since the beginning of January. His pre-contract until June 2025 is ‘almost ready’. Apart from Madrid, Chelsea and Liverpool are also in the fray but will have to work hard to lure him. During his press conference on Tuesday, Alaba allegedly said that his 'Spanish is not good, but good enough for the pitch,' hinting at a move to Real Madrid.
Updated 20:12 IST, February 16th 2021