Barcelona ‘reach verbal agreement with David Alaba’ as new president Joan Laporta looks to rival Real Madrid for out-of-contract Bayern star… but £1BILLION debt means LaLiga giants must sell to fund deal for defender
- David Alaba will walk away from Bayern Munich on a free at the end of the season
- The Austrian international is attracting plenty of interest from Spanish sides
- Mundo Deportivo report that Barcelona have a ‘verbal agreement’ with Alaba
Barcelona have successfully reached a verbal agreement with Bayern Munich defender David Alaba, according to reports in Spain.
The Austrian international confirmed earlier this year that he will walk away from the Bundesliga champions at the end of the season when his contract expires – leaving the rest of Europe on red alert.
Alaba is a key target for Real Madrid but Mundo Deportivo report that Alaba’s agent Pini Zahavi has come to a ‘verbal agreement’ to take the defender to the Nou Camp following a recent visit to Barcelona.
David Alaba is a free agent this summer and is reportedly closing in on a Barcelona switch
New president Joan Laporta is believed to have a ‘verbal agreement’ with Alaba’s representatives, something he has since played down since he was re-elected on Sunday
Barcelona’s debts are said to have totalled £1billion and so Ronald Koeman must get creative in the transfer market.
Alaba, 28, is a free agent but his salary demands would see Barcelona need to free up space on the wage bill to make any move a possibility.
New president Joan Laporta wants to make a splash in his first summer since re-election after he beat out competition from Victor Font and Toni Freixa on Sunday night.
Alaba (bottom) had the opportunity to extend his 13-year stay at Bayern but turned it down
Mundo Deportivo reported that Laporta’s team were in contact with Zahavi while he was in Barcelona and they were told that no agreement had been reached between Alaba and Real Madrid.
Laporta pushed back when quizzed on contact with Zahavi during a recent interview with RAC1 but it remains clear that Alaba is a priority target.
‘My contacts with representatives come from afar,’ Laporta said.
‘We know how the situation of some players is and if they are interesting for Barça and the possibilities allow it, they can come. ‘
Alaba’s versatility to play at left back, centre back and in central midfielder is seen as incredibly appealing to Barcelona.
But the key issue will likely come down to Alaba’s salary demands and the financial limits Barcelona will need to impose on themselves as they look to recover economically from the Covid-19 pandemic.
He has won nine Bundesliga titles in Bavaria and has also lifted two Champions League titles
Alaba joined Bayern in 2008 and has since gone on to win nine Bundesliga titles, six German Cups and two Champions League titles.
He has played more than 400 times for the club and has scored 33 goals in Bavaria.
Alaba was offered the chance to extend his 13-year stay at Bayern but elected to rebuff that approach and seek out a new challenge.
‘It was not an easy decision. I have been here for 13 years and the association is really close to my heart. I am very grateful to the association for many things,’ he said last month.
‘I took my time because it’s not an easy decision to make overnight. I decided to do something new – a new challenge. I haven’t made the decision yet (on my new club), that remains to be seen.
‘It’s no secret that my management is in contact with several clubs. But a lot is being read into it and I want to concentrate fully on my task here.
‘Money has not been a factor in my decision.’
Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman must be creative with free transfers in the summer window
