Austria's David Alaba joins Udinese on a free transfer

The 34-year-old Austria international has signed a one-year deal with the Serie A side after being released by Real Madrid in the summer.

Austria's David Alaba has signed a one-year contract with Serie A side Udinese. The 34-year-old defender joins on a free transfer after being released by Real Madrid in June.

The experienced player brings a trophy-laden career to Italy. During five years at Real Madrid, he won two Champions League titles and two La Liga championships. Before that, he spent a decade at Bayern Munich, securing ten Bundesliga titles and two more Champions League trophies. For the Austrian national team, Alaba has earned 117 caps and scored 15 goals, most recently captaining the side at the World Cup.

“I’ve experienced a lot and won a lot in my career, but one thing has never changed, I still want to win,” Alaba said. Their next fixture is at home against Kosovo on Sunday, 27 September. The team's recent form of two wins, one draw, and two losses from their last five matches is detailed in our stats section.

Alaba was not called up for Austria's current Nations League matches. At Udinese, who are 13th in Serie A with four points from five games, he is expected to provide leadership. The club announced the signing on social media with an image of a white folding chair on the pitch, referencing Alaba's goal celebration in Madrid. His new team's next match is against Torino on 12 October, with the full schedule available on our fixtures page.