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Real Madrid and Chelsea have fallen behind Paris Saint-Germain in the race to sign Bayern Munich star David Alaba, according to reports. The Austrian’s future is up in the air as he heads towards the final few months of his current contract with the Bundesliga side.
The Bavarians first signed the footballer as a youngster in 2008 and the Austrian eventually turned out to be a hidden gem. Alaba amassed almost 400 appearances for Bayern Munich, went from left-back to center-back, and excelled in both positions. He was an integral part of last season’s side that clinched the treble; but despite his importance to the team, the Bavarians have failed to tie him down to a new deal so far.
Alaba will be free to begin negotiations with interested parties in January and it appears that he could even leave the Allianz Arena in the winter. Still one of the best defenders in the world, the Austrian already has a beeline of teams vying for his signature, which includes the likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain. However, it looks like the Ligue 1 champions have already left the competition behind.
Chelsea and Real Madrid lack the financial resources to compete with PSG
Real Madrid and Chelsea’s interest in the player is justified. The Spanish giants are already looking at a future without their defensive stalwart Sergio Ramos, whose contract is set to expire next summer. The Los Blancos skipper is reluctant to sign a new deal, which means that Real Madrid would have to find a suitable replacement in less than a year. There are few better options than Alaba at the moment.
However, the Austrian’s wage demands are not too dissimilar from Ramos’ and that could pose a problem for the Spanish giants. Indeed, the race for the Austrian’s signature is no walk in the park.
Chelsea are also monitoring the player and have the ability to go head to head with Real Madrid for the player’s signature. However, having already invested heavily in defensive reinforcements this summer, it is unlikely that the Blues management would get another free run at a player who would demand a significant chunk of their financial resources in wages.
In such a situation, PSG have emerged as the favorites for Alaba. The Austrian is reportedly close to agreeing to a deal with the Ligue 1 champions. As such, the French giants could likely give both Real Madrid and Chelsea the slip and snatch Alaba from right under their noses.
