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Udinese has relaunched the career of international defender David Alaba, who had been without a club since leaving Spain's Real Madrid in July, signing him to a one-year contract yesterday.
The Friuli-based club stated in its announcement: "Udinese Calcio is proud to announce the signing of David Alaba, one of the most prominent and decorated footballers on the international stage. The Austrian defender has signed a contract that will keep him with the Bianconeri until June 30, 2027."
Alaba (34) was quoted in the statement as saying: "I certainly did not come here to end my career. I still have a strong ambition, and I firmly believe in my abilities on the pitch. I want to continue putting in the effort, performing at my best in Serie A week after week, and achieving success."
Udinese teased its fans about Alaba's arrival on Wednesday by posting a picture of a white plastic chair on its social media accounts, a reference to the chair the famous Austrian defender lifted after Real Madrid's comeback against Paris Saint-Germain (3-1) in the second leg of the 2022 Champions League Round of 16.
With the addition of Alaba, Udinese secures the services of a veteran central defender, the captain of the Austrian national team in the last World Cup, who has represented his country 117 times, scoring 15 goals.
Alaba, a graduate of the Austria Wien youth academy, spent most of his career with Bayern Munich, where he won ten Bundesliga titles and two Champions League titles (2013 and 2020) between 2011 and 2021. He then wore the Real Madrid jersey between 2021 and 2026, adding two La Liga titles and two more Champions League titles (2022 and 2024) to his illustrious record.
Udinese currently sits in thirteenth place in the league with 4 points from a single win after five rounds of the new season. The Bianconeri have conceded 11 goals, making them, since the departure of Dane Thomas Kristensen to Atalanta, the fourth-weakest defense in Serie A.
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