Bayern Munich defender David Alaba said on Tuesday that he will leave the club at the end of the season, parting ways after 13 years following the recent failure of the two sides to reach a new agreement.
“I decided after this season (I want) to do something new, to leave the club,” the 28-year-old told a press conference the day after his 3-3 draw against Arminia Bielefeld in the Bundesliga.
“It was not an easy decision because I have been here for 13 years and this club is close to my heart,” he said, adding that he had not decided where he would go next.
The Austria international has been linked to various English Premier League clubs, while Real Madrid has also shown interest in signing the versatile defender.
“The decision on where the next trip will go has yet to be made,” Alaba said. “But I wanted a challenge, to develop as a player on and off the court. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone.
“What will also influence my decision is where I can continue to successfully play football,” he said, adding that his agent was already in talks with several clubs without providing further details.
In November, Bayern withdrew a contract offer for Alaba, who has been with the club since the junior level in 2008, after talks dragged on for months about the player’s annual salary.
Alaba has been highly successful at Bayern, having won more than two dozen titles, including two Champions League trophies, nine league titles and six German Cups, as well as two Club World Cup crowns.
He has played as a winger and center back as well as a winger in the past, and has been a starter for nearly a decade as well as a fan favorite.
Bayern won the Club World Cup title last week to cap off a sensational 2019-20 season with six titles in total.
They will face Lazio in the knockout stages of the Champions League later this month and are also leaders of the Bundesliga.
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