Udinese have added one of European football’s most decorated defenders to their squad, confirming the signing of Austria international David Alaba on a contract running until 30 June 2027.
The 34-year-old arrives in Friuli as a free agent after his Real Madrid spell ended on 30 June. Having completed medical examinations in Rome the previous day, Alaba has now formally joined Udinese in a move that gives the club a player with extensive experience at the highest level of the game.
An experienced figure for Udinese’s ambitions
Alaba brings a career built across major European stages, including four Champions League victories. Primarily a central defender, he joins a Udinese side seeking to raise its competitive standards and give greater weight to its long-term project.
General director Franco Collavino described the arrival as an important moment for the club, welcoming a player he called an established champion, a leader and an exemplary professional.
Collavino said the deal reflected Udinese’s intention to develop, compete at a higher level and assemble an increasingly ambitious team.
Alaba: “I still want to compete”
For Alaba, the move is not presented as a final chapter after a trophy-laden career. The Austrian said that, despite all he has experienced and won, his desire for further success remains unchanged.
“I want to win again, compete again and achieve something special again,” Alaba said. “That is the mentality I bring to Udinese.”
He made clear that he has not joined merely to serve as the senior voice in the dressing room. “I am not here to end my career,” he said. “I am still too ambitious for that and I strongly believe in what I can do on the pitch.”
Alaba said his target is to continue operating at Serie A level every week, pushing himself and contributing to a meaningful objective with Udinese. “I am very excited by this challenge and I still have a great deal to prove to myself,” he added.
