A river of gold for Alaba

Real Madrid is working on the renewal of Sergio Ramos with two hypotheses: that an agreement is reached for the captain to extend his contract with Real Madrid (today the positions are far apart, with both parties filtering opposing views of the negotiation through the media) and that not do so and be free from July 1, thus ending a 16-season stage wearing the white elastic. In both cases, the club has a plan, and in the second, several alternatives in the market with which to try to cover the huge hole that would leave an emblem of Madrid's history such as Ramos.. Among all the names written on the agenda, one shines with its own light: David Alaba.

It is not strange, because the Austrian is the footballer who manages to combine all the sports conditions required of a Madrid player (He has been at Bayern, a great in Europe, for many years and has won all possible titles) and the necessary fit in the white accounts, now deteriorated by the crisis derived from the coronavirus pandemic, which has prevented fans from attending stadiums in Spain for almost a year now. This situation has caused Real Madrid to project losses of 91 million euros in its spending budget for the 2020-21 season., although it will be less thanks to the salary cuts that are being agreed with the football and basketball squads.

Alaba, for his part, will end ten years as a footballer for Bayern Munich's first team this summer. The Austrian has not wanted to sign a contract extension and will leave the Bavarian club with just 29 years of age (he will meet them on June 24), which puts him in an exceptional situation to pocket a good amount as a transfer bonus from part of the club for which he signed, in addition to signing a first-rate salary. Madrid already knows that they have competition for their incorporation (Manchester City, above all) and offers them 11 million net per year, that is, 22 gross, once including the taxes that the white club must pay.

As published yesterday in England by both ESPN and the Telegraph, Alaba has transmitted to Chelsea, a team that also wants him, a five-season contract. A requirement that he has also transferred to Madrid, which means that the Madrid entity will undertake to pay him, if he agrees to his demand, 22 million gross per year during five seasons. A total cost of 110 million in salaries that raises some doubts, especially related to age.

If Alaba signs a five-season contract in June 2021, he would do so to end his relationship with Real Madrid in June 2026, when he was just 34 years old. The club is strongly committed to the incorporation of the Austrian, above all, due to his versatility: he can play as a central defender, as a left back and even as a midfielder, a three-in-one that would be gold to suddenly reinforce several positions in a Madrid that this season is seeing what the numerous injuries and infections by coronavirus can do: in the last Madrid-Getafe, Zidane could only have 13 players with a record from the first team, completing the list with five members of Castilla.

However, Alaba's advanced age raises concerns about how he will be able to reach his last years of contract and if he will be able to justify an investment of 110 million in salaries like the one he demands (in addition to the transfer bonus and the commission of his agent, the Israeli Pini Zahavi, who already took 10.7 million in Neymar's move to PSG). The defender also has a long history of injuries at Bayern: up to 32, although most have been small muscle problems from which he tends to recover easily. Among all the ailments he has accumulated only 72 games absent in a decade, an average of 7.2 games per season.

Flick's multipurpose, vital in the sextet

At 28 years old, David Alaba is in one of the sweetest moments of his career. Under the orders of Hansi Flick he has just won the first sextet of his career and his second treble. He has done it as one of the fundamental pieces of his coach thanks to his versatility. Although he has currently played for Bayern as a central left, he has also acted as a winger or pivot, as in yesterday's Club World Cup final against Tigres Azteca (1-0).

In total, he has played 2,388 'divided into 28 games, including 19 in the Bundesliga and five in the Champions League. He has lost three and only one of them due to muscular discomfort (in the first Bundesliga match against Schalke). One of the other two was by rest and the last for being summoned with the Austrian selection, in which he is one of the captains and usually occupies the position of left interior. He already has 76 caps with Wunderteam.

This season he has scored two goals in the Bundesliga. Defensively, he has stolen 110 balls, cleared 38 and won 44 games. Numbers that allow you to trade your new contract from an advantageous position. You will be able to choose your future and you want the final decision to be the most beneficial in economics and sports.