Blow for Chelsea as Champions League-winning target edges closer to pre-contract agreement

Chelsea target David Alaba can sign a pre-contract agreement in January

According to Bild’s Christian Falk (h/t Football.london), Chelsea target David Alaba is not close to agreeing to fresh terms at Bayern Munich.

The Austrian international has been one of the key cogs in Bayern’s dominant run over the last decade. With him currently in the last year of his contract, he could be available for free next summer.

Chelsea were among the clubs linked with a move for the player earlier this summer. With him potentially available on a free, there is an opportunity we can pounce on here.

A versatile player who can play in a number of positions, the Austrian is a jack of many trades.

As per Falk’s tweet, the player has now held three rounds of negotiations with Bayern but to no avail. It was reported earlier in the summer that he would have liked to move on before the window closed.

This would have seen Bayern net themselves a fee rather than lose a world-class player for nothing in a year’s time. However, with talks failing so far, we seem to be heading for the latter scenario.

Capable of playing in defence and also the midfield, Alaba will give Frank Lampard a number of options to choose from. Not only will he add to our backline but could be a cheaper alternative to Declan Rice.

A six-time Austrian footballer of the year, Alaba is one of the finest players to come out of his country. At 28, he is at his prime and slot in straight away for Chelsea.

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If he does come onto the market, the competition will be high for a player of Alaba’s calibre. Whether Chelsea win the race for his signature remains to be seen.