David Alaba has confirmed he would be leaving Bayern Munich this summer as a free agent following a lengthy spell with the Bundesliga Champions.
Alaba, who has spent 13 years in Bavaria is preparing to take on a new challenge. The 28-year-old Austrian defender has been on the radar of top European club sides in recent weeks.
While Alaba would be looking forward to a new chapter in his career after a trophy-laden stint with Bayern, the versatile player admitted that he will find it difficult to sever ties with the German club.
“It’s always difficult when something comes to an end and it’s no secret that I’ve always really felt at home here,” Alaba told the club’s official website.
“Obviously, I’m leaving FC Bayern with a tear in my eye but also looking forward to my future at the same time.
“It wasn’t a decision against the club, but I decided I’d like to do something new and take another step forward.
“To grow, you have to leave your ‘comfort zone’ – and I deliberately put that word in quotation marks because it could possibly be misunderstood.
“At FC Bayern, the expectations on the pitch are always extreme from the management, in the dressing room or from yourself.
“I think that perhaps you have to go into the unknown to be able to mature again.”
Alaba, who came through Bayern ranks has over 420 appearances under his belt.
He has won slew of titles including nine Bundesliga, with the 10th being chased down in 2021 – six DFB-Pokal triumphs, two Champions League crowns and a couple of FIFA Club World Cup triumphs.
Alaba continued: “I had to battle with my emotions recently when we had our last big photo shoot at the Allianz Arena.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the support from our fans over all the years. I’ve always had the feeling of having a special connection to them.
“One time at Frankfurt, a fan called me over to the fence, and after that we had eye contact at least after every game”.
