By Oyinlola Awonuga Balogun (The New Diplomat’s Entertainment, Fashion and Sports Desk)
Spanish giants Real Madrid have reached an agreement with David Alaba, who becomes Los Blancos first signing for next season.
Alaba will join Madrid when his contract with the Bayern comes to an end on June 30.
He has agreed a four-year deal with a salary close to 11 million euros per year in an offer made at the club’s offices in Valdebebas, as MARCA reported on January 2.
The Austrian has been free to negotiate since January 1 and Real Madrid haven’t wasted a second in bringing in the European champion to seal a deal as quickly as possible. The player has even already undergone a medical for his future club.
The 28-year-old was chased by some of Europe’s biggest clubs, with Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and Chelsea all registering an interest with agent Pini Zahavi.
Alaba had already shown his interest in playing in LaLiga Santander and after 10 seasons with Bayern, was not afraid to run down his contract in Germany.
Bayern made three offers to Alaba in the past few months, but club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge admitted in November that talks were over.
“We had a lot of conversations with his agent, there was a final meeting and a proposal with a deadline in October, our offer wasn’t accepted and our president withdrew it” Rummenigge explained.
“We did all we could to reach an agreement, he just had to accept, but it didn’t work out.”
From that point on Bayern resigned to losing their versatile defender and allowed him to negotiate with other clubs.
The report has sparked reactions on Twitter with some users stating that Alaba doesn’t fit into the real Madrid team.
“Where does #alaba fit into the #reamadrid line up though? Verane Ramos Mendy and Dani…. Alaba in midfield? Or three at the back and two wingers?”@JanakTailor
