Real Madrid defender David Alaba will leave the club upon the expiration of his contract in the summer.
The 33-year-old will end his five-year stay at the Bernabeu, where he has won nine trophies including two La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues.
The Athletic reported in December that Alaba was expected to leave the club, a year after Madrid moved to bring in a left-back and a centre-back — Alaba’s primary two positions — in Alvaro Carreras from Benfica for €50million (£43.3m; $57.9m) and Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth for £50m last summer.
The Austria captain has made 15 appearances this season, and just three starts in La Liga, having yet again sustained an injury-hit season with two separate spells out. Antonio Rudiger, Huijsen, Eder Militao and Raul Asencio are among the centre-backs favoured ahead of him.
News of Alaba’s departure comes after Madrid also announced that captain Dani Carvajal will leave the club as a free agent when his deal expires this summer.
“David Alaba has earned the affection of all Madrid fans for his dedication, his hard work, and for an iconic image on our path to the 14 European Cup, which symbolised the celebration of a victory and is now part of our club’s history,” Madrid club president Florentino Perez said upon confirmation of the news.
“Real Madrid will always be his home.”
Alaba only played 14 times for Madrid last season after returning from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his left knee in January 2025, having been out for over a year. He then suffered a meniscus injury in the same knee in April and missed Madrid’s final five La Liga games of 2024-25, as well as all six matches at the Club World Cup in the United States.
Alaba joined Madrid as a free agent from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2021. Injuries have been a common theme throughout his time in Spain and he only managed 30 league games in one season, his first. He has made 129 Madrid appearances, and won La Liga and the Champions League twice each during his five-year stay.
He is part of Ralf Rangnick’s Austria squad for this summer’s World Cup.
A fan favourite, but exit inevitable
Analysis by Real Madrid correspondent Guillermo Rai
Alaba arrived with huge expectations, regarded as one of the world’s best and most experienced defenders. He was one of the elite signings the club targeted because he was available on a free transfer, which later happened with players including Rudiger and Kylian Mbappe.
Alaba’s first season was an outstanding success, winning La Liga and the Champions League. He became especially popular with fans after one of the comebacks against Paris Saint-Germain at the Bernabeu, when he celebrated a goal by lifting a chair. That moment quickly made him a fan favourite.
Alaba celebrated subsequent trophies by lifting a chair to copy his iconic goal celebration (Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)
He later suffered a serious ACL injury in his left knee in December 2023, which prevented him from playing a major role in the club’s 15th Champions League triumph and, above all, shaped the remainder of his spell in Madrid.
Several setbacks in his recovery, including two further arthroscopic surgeries, ultimately ended his hopes of returning as a regular starter.
That is why his departure had been expected for months, as his contract was nearing its end. Even so, he remained one of the most respected and influential voices in the dressing room.
