Chelsea & Real Madrid are set to face fresh competition from Manchester United in the pursuit of Bayern Munich contract rebel David Alaba.
According to a recent report by the Express, Manchester United are exploring the opportunity of signing David Alaba. The Bayern Munich defender is widely expected to leave the club after his contract ends in the summer. He is thus eligible to sign a pre-contract deal with a non-German club in the upcoming January transfer window.
United, as a result, have now been put on red alert as they look to secure the services of the highly sought-after centre-back, though they might face stiff competition from league rivals Chelsea. European giants Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are also said to be interested in signing the Austrian international.
A part of FC Bayern since 2008, Alaba has been a great servant for the club over the years. He initially broke out as a left-back and was even regarded as one of the best full-backs in Europe at a time, before he was eventually transformed into a centre-back in recent years.
The 28-year-old, in fact, has emerged as a mainstay in the Bayern backline and had played a critical role behind their treble-winning campaign last season. Overall, the player has notched up over 400 competitive appearances for the Bavarians, winning nine Bundesliga titles and two Champions League trophies among many other accolades and silverware.
However, it appears Alaba has fallen out of favour with the club management in the recent year following disputes over his pay raise. As a result, the Austrian international has shown no signs on prolonging his stay at Allianz Arena and could be in for a move elsewhere.
Manchester United’s latest interest in securing the services of the Bayern Munich defenders comes as no surprise as the Red Devils are desperately looking for a new centre-back. Their premier defenders in Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire have been terribly inconsistent this season while the likes of Eric Bailly, Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones have struggled with form and fitness over the years.
Alaba, in that regard, could provide Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with just the defensive presence he needs. The 28-year-old is already one of the most experienced defenders in Europe and could bring the leadership qualities at the heart of United’s four-man backline. He could also bring the winning mentality that has been lacking in the camp ever since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson.
From hindsight, it appears Manchester United are merely a pony in the race to sign Alaba, with Real Madrid believed to be the frontrunners for his signing. However, there is a possibility of Premier League giants like United and Chelsea swaying his decision by offering him a lucrative deal, especially considering the fact that his decision to leave Bayern revolves around the lack of desired wages.