Udinese have officially confirmed the signing of former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich defender David Alaba. The Italian Serie A club announced the move on Thursday, with the Austrian international joining as a free agent.
Alaba, 34, has penned a contract that will keep him at the Friulani until June 30, marking his first professional move to Italy. He had been without a club since July 1, following the expiration of his five-year deal with Real Madrid.
The versatile defender brings a wealth of experience and a decorated career to Udinese. Alaba spent 13 years at Bayern Munich after coming through SV Aspern and Austria Vienna, with a loan spell at Hoffenheim in 2010-11. During his time in Bavaria, he secured ten Bundesliga titles and two Champions League trophies. He added two more Champions League titles during his stint with Real Madrid.
Alaba’s Ambition at Udinese
Speaking after signing his contract, Alaba expressed his strong desire to continue competing at the highest level. “I’ve had many experiences and won a lot throughout my career, but one thing hasn’t changed: I want to win again. I want to compete again. And I want to achieve something special again. This is the mentality I bring to Udinese,” Alaba stated.
He also highlighted his readiness to contribute both on and off the pitch. “The coach has made it very clear what role he has in mind for me and what he wants us to achieve together. Obviously, I want to bring my experience to the dressing room, take on responsibilities and help whenever possible, especially the younger players,” he added.
Alaba was clear that his move to Udinese is not a step towards retirement. “I’m not coming here just to be the experienced player in the team, and I’m definitely not coming here to end my career. I’m still too ambitious for that and I still strongly believe in what I can do on the pitch. I want to push further, perform at the highest level in Serie A week after week and achieve something,” he affirmed, concluding, “I’m very excited about this challenge, and I still have a lot to prove to myself.”
He also shared a message with the club’s supporters via Instagram, saying, “Hello Udinese fans, thank you so much for the warm welcome, I can’t wait to get started. Let’s do this together, Forza Udinese!”
Alaba’s arrival is expected to provide a significant boost to Udinese, offering leadership and top-tier experience to the squad for the remainder of the season.