Former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich defender David Alaba has explained his decision to join Italian Serie A club Udinese after leaving the Spanish giants.
The Austria international joined Udinese as a free agent and has signed a deal that will keep him at the club until the end of the season.
Alaba said his decision was driven by his desire to continue competing at the highest level rather than begin winding down his career.
The 34-year-old, who has won the Champions League four times during his career, said he still has the ambition to compete for trophies and prove himself on the pitch.
“I’ve had so many experiences and won so much throughout my career, but one thing hasn’t changed: I want to win again,” Alaba said.
He added that he joined Udinese because he wants to compete regularly and help the club achieve its objectives.
“I certainly haven’t come to wind down my career. I’m still too ambitious for that, and I still strongly believe in what I can do on the pitch,” he said.
Alaba targets Serie A impact
The Austrian defender said he is looking forward to establishing himself in Serie A and performing consistently at the highest level.
“I want to keep pushing, perform at the highest level in Serie A week in and week out, and achieve something meaningful,” he said.
Alaba had been without a club since leaving Real Madrid at the end of the 2025/26 season. Real Madrid confirmed in May that his five-year spell at the club had come to an end.
During his time in Madrid, Alaba made 131 appearances and won 11 trophies, including two Champions League titles.
His move to Udinese now marks the beginning of a new chapter as he looks to return to regular club football and contribute to the Italian side’s campaign.
