Chelsea's hopes of landing outgoing Bayern Munich defender David Alaba have been dealt a huge blow.
The Blues were said to be one of the favourites to land Alaba after the Austrian's representatives reportedly reached out over a possible transfer ahead of his contract coming to an end this summer.
Alaba has been at Bayern since 2010 and with his contract coming to an end this summer, he rejected a contract offer in a bid to land a new challenge having won a whole host of titles at the Allianz Arena, including nine Bundesliga titles and two Champions League titles.
With that in mind, it was thought the versatile defender could join Chelsea, following Thiago Silva's lead in moving to Stamford Bridge on a free transfer.
But it seems Real Madrid have already made headway over a deal and are confident of pulling off a move with Sergio Ramos' future still unclear amid his expiring contract.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has said: "David Alaba has reached a verbal agreement with Real Madrid since the beginning of January.
"His pre-contract until June 2025 is ‘almost ready’ - not signed yet. Chelsea, Liverpool as other clubs are still trying to convince him... but Alaba’s priority is joining Real Madrid."
That comes after reports emerged that Alaba's wage demand could be tricky for Chelsea, the defender looking to make the most of the fact he will not come with a transfer fee.
The 28-year-old is an attractive option for clubs around Europe given his versatility and the vast experience he has at the top of European football.
But it seems Real Madrid have taken a strong lead in the race to land Alaba in what could be a key signing for Los Blancos given Ramos' contract stalemate, and the fact financial issues could make it difficult for the La Liga giants to be dominant in the summer transfer market.
