Liverpool are continuing to be linked with a summer move for Bayern Munich centre-back David Alaba, with the Austrian available on a free transfer at the end of this season.
Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano has now confirmed that the Reds are very interested in signing the 28-year-old but will face fierce competition from Real Madrid for his signature.
When speaking to Give Me Sport, Romano said:
“For sure, they are trying for David Alaba as a free agent. As I say they are trying also with an important bid, they are in contact with his agent. They are among the five clubs trying for David Alaba but Real Madrid are leading the race so it’s difficult at this moment, but Liverpool are trying.
“So he’s an amazing player and it’s normal that his manager Pini Zahavi is working, talking with many clubs from Premier League, with Liverpool as we say, from La Liga with Real Madrid, from Bayern Munich because Bayern Munich has old people around the club saying they are trying really to keep him, they made an important bid.
“What Alaba is asking for is €12m per season as salary, with add-ons. So it’s a big salary and you have to pay commissions, huge commissions, to the agent when you sign these kinds of free agents so it’s not so easy to find the agreement. But at the moment, Madrid are leading the race.”
Jurgen Klopp confirmed recently that despite Liverpool’s current defensive crisis, they are ‘unlikely’ to sign a centre-back during this month’s transfer window emphasising that they are not keen to find a short-term solution.
Perhaps this is with the view of trying to sign Alaba, who has 73 caps for Austria, on a free transfer this summer, as he is 28-years-old and could potentially be a first-team regular with Liverpool for the next five or six years.
Alaba’s versatility could be hugely important for Klopp’s side next season, as we have already seen them struggle in defensive areas this season as a result of injuries, and the Austrian could easily fill in at centre-back, left-back or defensive-midfield if required and would be a much more reliable option than the injury-prone Joel Matip.
His performances in recent seasons emphasise that he has become a world-class centre-back with Die Roten, as he helped Hans Dieter-Flick’s side win the Champions League last season.
Sporting Director Michael Edwards must therefore do everything he can to convince the Bayern Munich man to follow Thiago’s suit and make the move to Anfield this summer.
Click here to see the full 30-minute video of Fabrizio Romano’s interview with Give Me Sport.
