David Alaba Moves to Udinese, Joins Okoye

Austrian defender David Alaba landed in Italy on Wednesday to finalize his move to Udinese as a free agent. He will team up with Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye.

Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano shared that Alaba was on his way to sign with the Serie A club after completing medical tests. Formal steps will follow.

Romano also mentioned that Udinese confirmed the news themselves.

“David Alaba completes medical at Udinese after several options in Italy,” Romano posted on X.

This news comes after Romano said earlier that Alaba had a verbal agreement with Udinese. He called the defender a dream signing for the Italian club.

Alaba became a free agent when his contract with Real Madrid expired at the end of last season. He joined the Spanish giants in 2021 after a successful time at Bayern Munich. At Bayern, he grew into one of Europe’s most adaptable defenders, able to play centre-back, left-back, and in midfield.

His stay at Real Madrid brought him more major trophies, but injuries affected his last seasons there and cut down his playing time.

The 33-year-old has Nigerian roots through his father, George Alaba, while his mother, Gina, is Austrian. He was born in Vienna and plays for Austria at the international level.

At Udinese, Alaba is expected to boost the team’s defense and offer experience and leadership. He will join Okoye, who signed a four-year deal with the Serie A club in August 2023. Okoye has been a regular in the Udinese squad and also plays for Nigeria on the international stage.