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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Gareth Bicknell

David Alaba 'agrees Real Madrid deal' after Bayern Munich star held Liverpool talks

David Alaba has snubbed a move to the Premier League after reportedly agreeing a move to Real Madrid.

The Bayern Munich defender has been linked with Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea, but was always expected to join Zinedine Zidane's side.

Having entered the final six months of his Bayern deal, Alaba is free to sign a pre-contract agreement with a club in another country.

And he has agreed a four-year deal to join Real Madrid, according to Spanish outlet Marca.

The Spanish outlet reports that Liverpool, Manchester City, PSG and Chelsea were among the clubs to express their interest to Alaba's agent Pini Zahavi.

David Alaba will join Real Madrid after almost a decade in Bayern's first team (LEON KUEGELER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

United have also been linked with the 28-year-old, with the club said to be targeting a top-class centre-back partner for skipper Harry Maguire.

The Reds held talks with David Alaba's representatives last summer - but backed out of a deal, according to the Independent.

Alaba reportedly wanted a package worth £12million a year after tax, the equivalent of £230,000 per week post-deductions - an astronomical figure by any club's standards.

That was not necessarily a deal breaker as far as Liverpool were concerned, but the club had their own reasons for dropping their interest.

Alaba won his second Champions League title with Bayern Munich last summer (Getty Images)

Firstly, 5ft 11ins Alaba was deemed by Reds coaches as smaller than their ideal height for a central defender.

There was plenty of appeal in Alaba's ability to also play at left-back, but that soon diminished when Kostas Tsimikas was brought in as cover for Andy Robertson.

Speculation was rife that Liverpool could renew their interest after first-choice centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez were sidelined by long-term injuries.

But Alaba would have cost a hefty sum to sign in the January transfer window, and was always expected to see out his contract in Munich before joining Madrid in the summer.

The Austria international has been a first-team regular with Bayern for almost a decade, and can count nine Bundesliga titles, two Champions League triumphs, the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup among his huge trophy haul.

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