Alaba surprises with his new destination
The Austrian defender finally makes a decision, after becoming free.
David Alaba, a 34-year-old defender, has reached a verbal agreement to become the new signing for Udinese after ending his contract with Real Madrid on June 30th. The Austrian is already in Italy and is undergoing a medical examination before signing as a free agent.
David Alaba swaps Real Madrid for Udinese
The deal is in its final stage after Fabrizio Romano confirmed the verbal agreement between Alaba and Udinese. The next steps are the medical tests and the necessary paperwork to complete the transfer.
Alaba became a free agent on June 30th, having concluded his five-season spell with Real Madrid. The club announced on May 22nd that both parties had agreed not to extend the contract at the end of the season.
The center-back played 131 matches for Real Madrid and won 11 titles, including 2 Champions Leagues, 2 La Liga titles, and 2 Club World Cups. In the last season, he featured in 16 games before ending his time at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The departure allowed Alaba to seek a new destination without Udinese having to pay a transfer fee. The current agreement is verbal, and the duration of the new contract has not yet been disclosed, so the financial terms of the deal are still pending official confirmation.
🚨⚪️⚫️ EXCLUSIVE: Udinese have reached a verbal agreement with David Alaba!
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 23, 2026
Austrian star, a dream signing for the Italian club with a verbal agreement in place with former Real Madrid defender.
Formal steps needed ahead of the here we go. pic.twitter.com/g7hNVSxYx4
Udinese signs a free agent with elite experience
Udinese has progressed the operation to the point of conducting medical tests in Rome, a prerequisite for signing. Sky Sport reports that Alaba is undergoing these exams before formally joining the team led by Kosta Runjaic.
The Austrian arrives after playing both as a center-back and left-back throughout his career. He made 131 official appearances for Real Madrid, while in his previous spell at Bayern Munich, he predominantly played as a versatile defender.
The move also ends months of uncertainty for Alaba since leaving Real Madrid. During the summer, he was linked with other Italian clubs such as Inter, Milan, and Juventus, although none of those options materialized.
Udinese, on their part, has opted for a player arriving on a free transfer with international experience after participating in the 2026 World Cup with Austria. The Italian club expects to finalize the remaining procedures to officially announce David Alaba in the next few hours.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alaba sorprende con su nuevo destino