Background on the Deal

It’s Official! David Alaba Signs with Udinese

David Alaba will now be playing in Italy’s Serie A.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/GEPA pictures, x.com/Udinese_1896)

It’s now official: David Alaba is joining the Italian club Udinese Calcio. The Serie A club announced the news on social media. According to initial reports, the Austrian national team star signed a one-year contract through June 2027.

As early as Wednesday morning, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano announced that there was a verbal agreement between Alaba and Udinese. Shortly thereafter, the Italian club posted a photo of a folding chair—a clear nod to Alaba’s legendary goal celebration with one during Real Madrid’s 3-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16 in the spring of 2022, which has since achieved cult status.

Late at night, the 34-year-old ÖFB star finally arrived in Fagagna, near Udine, where he met his new coach, Kosta Runjaic. “There he is! Good evening. The most important person is here. I’m very happy about that,” grins the Vienna-born German, giving David a warm hug. 

“A Champion in Black and White”
The official announcement finally came the next day. “A champion in black and white. David Alaba is a new player for Udinese Calcio. Experience, leadership, and a career at the highest levels of world soccer. Welcome to Udine, David,” the club said in welcoming the new signing.

Contract details:
Even before his arrival in Udine, Alaba underwent his medical exam at Villa Stuart, a private clinic in Rome—and apparently passed with flying colors...

A Long Summer of Transfers
After leaving Real Madrid, Alaba went through a grueling summer during which he was linked to many top European clubs, as well as teams in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. A return to Austria Vienna was also reportedly on the table, as his father George confirmed to the “Krone” in this video.

“I’ve experienced a lot and won a lot in my career, but one thing hasn’t changed: I want to win again. I want to be back in competition. And I want to achieve something special again. I’m bringing that mindset with me to Udinese,” says Alaba, looking forward to this new chapter. “I’m really looking forward to this challenge, and I still have a lot to prove to myself.”

Problems in the Defensive Line
With his experience, he’s now expected to help stabilize the team led by Vienna-born German coach Kosta Runjaic. Udinese was looking to bolster its defense, as two defenders—former Salzburg pro Oumar Solet and rising star Matteo Palma—had recently been sidelined by injuries. In addition, the defense has been a weak spot so far this season, conceding 11 goals in five rounds—nearly half of which came in the 3–5 loss to champions Inter. The team has earned four points from five games and currently sits in 13th place.

Kosta Runjaic(Bild: EPA/ETTORE GRIFFONI)

“Of course, I want to bring my experience to the locker room, take on responsibility, and help wherever I can—especially the younger players. But I’m not coming here just to be the experienced player on the team, and I’m definitely not coming here to end my career. I’m still too ambitious for that, and I firmly believe in my abilities on the field. I want to continue to develop, perform at my best week after week in Serie A, and achieve something,” Alaba emphasized.

But I’m not coming here just to be the experienced player on the team, and I’m definitely not coming here to end my career.

David Alaba

Bild: GEPA

The current roster includes Sandi Lovric, a former ÖFB youth team player who later chose to play for Slovenia’s senior national team. The 18-year-old Matteo Palma is of interest to the ÖFB. The Berlin-born center back would also be eligible to play for Austria due to his father’s heritage. So far, Palma has played for the youth national teams of Italy and Germany.

Alaba as a Sign of Udinese’s Ambitions
Udinese’s team is also known as “the little zebras” because of its club colors, white and black. The club is owned by businessman Giampaolo Pozzo. The club has played continuously in Serie A since 1995 and even qualified for the Champions League in 2005. The Black-and-Whites have yet to win a major national title.

Alaba is expected to help bring the club closer to that goal. “The signing of David Alaba is a tremendous joy for the entire club,” emphasized general manager Franco Collavino. “We welcome an established champion, a leader, and an exemplary professional. His arrival demonstrates Udinese’s desire to grow, compete at the highest level, and build an increasingly ambitious team.”