One of Bayern’s longest-tenured players could be on his way out of the club. Defender David Alaba has been linked with a move away from the European champions for several months now, with Chelsea, Real Madrid, and PSG said to be keen.
According to the Daily Mail, Bayern president Karl-Heinze Rummenigge has done everything in his power to sway Alaba in the direction of staying in Munich, but the Austrian international wants to move on. His current deal is up next summer, but the 28-year old will be allowed to talk to clubs in January.
Alaba has become more of a centre-back over the last year due to the outstanding rise of youngster Alphonso Davies at left-back. However, he’s done a good job at the position, helping the Bundesliga giants win the quadruple last season.
Alaba is a versatile defender who is able to play pretty much anywhere across the backline, which is certainly an attractive trait to potential suitors. He also has ample experience at the top levels of European football, having won two Champions League trophies and nine Bundesliga titles during his time with the Bavarians.
At 28-years old, he is still a valuable player to any side. As of right now, there have been no serious talks with Chelsea, PSG, or Real Madrid, but Zinedine Zidane is supposedly a fan of the Austrian defender’s abilities. Manchester United have also shown interest in recent weeks as they look to find more solidity in their own end.
The Blues have reinvented their backline this term with the newly formed partnership of Thiago Silva and Kurt Zouma, but at 36-years old, it’s unknown how long the Brazilian will last at Stamford Bridge. Alaba could be a logical replacement for him next summer if he does move on.
It seems unlikely that you’ll see Alaba move elsewhere in January given that his contract runs out next summer. But after almost 10 seasons with Bayern Munich, his time with the club looks to be coming to a close.