David Alaba’s arrival gives Udinese a rare kind of winter chapter: a player shaped by Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Austria joining a club intent on turning experience into points. Presented at the club’s Auditorium, the Austrian made clear that he has not come to Udine to revisit his past, but to begin another phase of his career.
Key takeaways
- Alaba has joined Udinese after a negotiation conducted quietly over the previous three weeks.
- The 33-year-old says he remains available for Austria after agreeing a temporary break with national-team coach Ralf Rangnick.
- He identifies centre-back as his primary position, while also being able to play on the left of a back line or in midfield.
- Coach Kosta Runjaic played an important part in convincing Alaba to choose Udinese.
- Alaba believes Udinese have enough quality to improve their points return after recent performances, particularly against Cagliari.
A new responsibility in Udine
General director Franco Collavino introduced Alaba at the Auditorium, describing it as the setting reserved for the club’s most significant occasions. Technical director Gokhan Inler recalled facing the Austrian twice for Napoli against Bayern Munich, as well as in international football with Switzerland, where he said he once got the better of him.
Sporting director Gianluca Nani described the deal as an opportunity Udinese moved quickly to secure. He framed the signing as evidence of a changing ambition at the club: rather than only developing players for larger sides, Udinese are now capable of bringing an established figure of Alaba’s stature into their own dressing room.
Alaba said conversations with Luka Modric, Franck Ribery and Marko Arnautovic offered useful advice, while Runjaic’s approach also helped persuade him. His message at the presentation was restrained but firm: “I am here not because of what I have done before, but to lay foundations for the future and build a new career.”
He stressed that his desire to continue playing also extends to international football. Alaba has a strong relationship with Rangnick and said they had agreed to pause his Austria involvement for the current window, rather than bring his national-team career to an end.
Experience for a side needing results
Having worked with the Udinese squad since last week, Alaba said he has settled comfortably into both the city and the group. He described Udine as welcoming and said the training sessions under Runjaic have been demanding, but added that he feels ready for selection.
“I am a central defender,” he said, while noting that he can also operate as a left-sided defender. The final decision, he added, rests with the coach. Alaba has also played as a holding midfielder during his career, notably under Pep Guardiola at Bayern, and believes he could fulfil that role again if required.
For Udinese, however, the broader value may be his authority as much as his positional flexibility. Alaba accepted that he will be expected to act as an older brother within the group, a responsibility he has already carried at major clubs and with Austria.
Serie A is the major league still missing from a career that has included the Bundesliga and La Liga. Alaba said he has always followed the Italian game and considers it among the strongest competitions in world football. His immediate focus is not on reputation, though, but on a team that needs to collect points.
He watched Udinese’s last two matches and felt the contest against Cagliari should have produced a different outcome, arguing that his new side had been the better team. The task now is to turn that belief into results, with an experienced defender joining a squad seeking a steadier course through the season.
