David Alaba has signed a deal to join Udinese following their exit from Real Madrid

Former Real Madrid defender David Alaba has reached a verbal agreement to join Serie A club Udinese as a free agent following his departure from the Spanish giants.

The Austria international became a free agent after leaving Real Madrid this summer when his contract with the club expired.

The proposed move will see Alaba return to Serie A, where he is expected to bring considerable experience to Udinese’s defense after spending several years competing at the highest level of European football.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Alaba and Udinese have reached a verbal agreement, with the Italian club now expected to complete the remaining formalities before the transfer can be officially confirmed.

Romano announced the development in a post on his X account, describing Alaba’s arrival as an important purchase for Udinese.

“EXCLUSIVE: Udinese have reached a verbal agreement with David Alaba!” Romano wrote.

“Austrian star, a dream signing for the Italian club with a verbal agreement in place with the former Real Madrid defender.

“Formal steps are needed before “here we go”.

Departure of Real Madrid

Alaba joined Real Madrid in 2021 after finishing a highly successful spell with German Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

During his time at Real Madrid, the versatile defender played as a centre-back and left-back, also providing experience in major domestic and European competitions.

His time in the Spanish capital was crowned with major accolades, although his final seasons were interrupted by injuries that limited his playing time.

With his contract with Real Madrid now up, Alaba is considering his next destination, with Udinese emerging as the club that has secured his verbal commitment.

The proposed transfer would allow the 33-year-old to continue his professional career in one of Europe’s top leagues, whilst offering Udinese an experienced option in defence.

Nigerian connection to Udinese

Alaba’s move to Udinese would also create an interesting Nigerian link with the Italian club due to his Nigerian heritage.

The defender’s father, George Alaba, is Nigerian, while his mother, Gina, is Austrian. Alaba was born in Vienna and represents Austria internationally.

If the transfer is completed, Alaba will share the Udinese dressing room with Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye.

Okoye joined Udinese in August 2023 after leaving Watford and signed a four-year contract with the Serie A club.

The goalkeeper has since been part of the Udinese squad and has also represented Nigeria at international level.

The Alaba experience

Alaba arrives with an impressive record stemming from his years at Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Before moving to Spain, he spent more than a decade linked to Bayern, where he became one of Europe’s most decorated defenders.

His versatility has been one of his greatest strengths, allowing him to operate in the center of defence, as a left-back and in midfield when required.

At Real Madrid, he added other major trophies to his collection and became part of a team that regularly competed for the UEFA Champions League and La Liga.

Udinese will hope that his experience can strengthen the team’s defensive options, especially as the Austrian remains able to bring leadership and tactical knowledge despite his recent injury problems.

The agreement with Udinese has yet to become official, Romano underlines that formal steps are still missing.

Once these procedures are concluded, Alaba could become an Udinese player and start a new chapter in his career in Italy.