Madrid (AFP)

The post-Zidane has started: the day after the departure of the French coach, Real Madrid recruited Austrian defender David Alaba (ex-Bayern Munich) on Friday, who signed for five seasons, becoming the first recruit of a Madrid club forced into a deep summer reconstruction.

It is a first reinforcement of choice to rebuild the Merengue team, which ended the season without a major title ... and now without a coach after the choice of Zinédine Zidane to leave after a second term a little less successful than the first.

Not to spoil anything, this versatile defender (28), who announced in February his desire to leave Bayern, was at the end of his contract and did not cost Real transfer compensation.

"Real Madrid have reached an agreement with player David Alaba, who will be linked with the club for the next five seasons," the "White House" wrote in a statement.

"He will be introduced as a new Real Madrid player after the end of the Euro" (11 June-11 July) which he will play for the Austrian team, added Real.

The defender, who can take on the role of full-back, central or midfielder, played a major role in Bayern's golden decade: he won 28 trophies with the Bavarian team, including ten Bundesligas and two Champions Leagues. (2013, 2020).

- "Get out of my comfort zone" -

After having long been the accomplice of Franck Ribéry on the left flank of the team, he brilliantly settled last season in central hinge despite his rather modest size for the position (1.80 m), taking part in the historic sextuplet club: tripled Cup-Championship-Champions League, German and European Super Cups and Club World Cup.

For Alaba, joining the great Real, the most successful club in C1 (13 trophies), materializes an upward trajectory started in the youth teams of Austria from Vienna before arriving at Bayern at the age of 16.

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"It was not an easy decision to make, because Bayern are my family," Alaba admitted in February, "but my goal is to improve every year, and to get out of my comfort zone."

At the time of the announcement of his departure, Alaba had also denied that his departure was linked to his financial demands deemed too high by the former club president Uli Hoeness.

Anyway, the boss of the "Rekordmeister" Karl-Heinz Rummenigge paid him a strong tribute in early 2021: "He has always been a nice person," he said on Sky.

"We will go our separate ways in friendship."

- Committed against racism -

In Munich, Alaba will also leave the image of a locker room leader, very committed to the fight against racism.

Born in Vienna, son of famous Nigerian musician George Alaba and a Filipino mother, David Alaba was among the first to speak publicly after the death at the end of May of George Floyd, an African-American killed by a police officer in the United States. United.

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Here he is now in Madrid and it is a very nice blow for Real, which offers itself, despite its financial difficulties linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the most coveted players on the market.

It remains to be seen who will be his new coach in the Spanish capital, while the bench until then occupied by "Zizou" is vacant.

It also remains to be seen in which position Alaba will evolve within the Merengue rearguard, whose current pillar, captain Sergio Ramos (35), has still not extended his contract ending next month.

In the event of Ramos' departure, David Alaba would be an option of choice to replace him in the central hinge alongside Frenchman Raphaël Varane.

Former Bayern coach (2013-2016), Pep Guardiola also saw a great future for him in this position: "He can play anywhere, he is fast, good in the recovery and always 100% focused. He can undoubtedly become one of the best center-backs in the world, "the Catalan predicted.

© 2021 AFP