Officially: David Alaba is a new player for Udinese

Udinese have officially signed Austrian defender David Alaba on a free transfer after he left Real Madrid in the summer, with a contract running until June 30, 2027.

Udinese have described their new player as one of the most decorated and experienced on the international stage, praising his technical quality and ability to play in multiple positions, alongside his leadership qualities and the vast experience he has gained throughout a successful career at the highest levels of world football.

David Alaba was born in Vienna, Austria on June 24, 1992, and began his career at the Austria Wien academy before moving to Bayern Munich at the age of 16. He later established himself as one of the top players in his position, playing 431 matches for the Bavarian club between 2010 and 2021, during which he scored 33 goals. He won 10 Bundesliga titles, 6 DFB-Pokals, 5 DFL-Supercups, as well as 2 UEFA Champions League titles, 2 FIFA Club World Cups, and 2 UEFA Super Cups.

David Alaba moved to Real Madrid in 2021 and has continued to collect trophies with the Spanish club, adding two UEFA Champions League titles, one FIFA Club World Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, two La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey, and two Supercopa de España titles to his cabinet.

On the international stage, David Alaba has been a captain and one of the standout players for Austria for over a decade, having played 117 international matches in which he scored 15 goals. He has participated in two editions of the UEFA European Championship, in addition to competing in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Udinese's general manager, Franco Collavino, said: "The signing of David Alaba is a great source of happiness for all members of the club. We welcome a great champion, a leader, and a model professional. His arrival confirms Udinese's desire to develop and compete at high levels and to build a more ambitious team."

In his first comments after joining Udinese, Alaba said: "I have experienced a lot and won a lot during my career, but one thing has not changed: I want to win again, I want to continue competing and achieve something special. This is the mentality I bring to Udinese."

He added: "The coach has made it very clear to me the role he wants from me and what we want to achieve together. Of course, I want to bring my experience to the dressing room, take responsibility, and help whenever possible, especially the young players."

The Austrian defender said: "I didn't come just to be the experienced player in the team, and I certainly didn't come here to end my career. I am still very ambitious and I strongly believe in what I can offer on the pitch. I want to keep working and deliver the highest levels in Serie A week after week, and achieve something."

Alaba concluded his statements by saying: "I am very excited about this challenge, and I still have a lot to prove to myself."