Is it all over for David Alaba? Real Madrid defender aware he will not be offered new contract amid injury hell and will leave for free next summer

Alaba is heading into the final year of his Real Madrid contract and the defender, as things stand, will remain with Los Blancos for another season before leaving as a free agent next summer, according to a report from AS.

Serious cartilage damage in his left knee, sustained in December 2023, continues to affect his total recovery, now complicated further by a recent meniscus issue in the same joint. The club's medical staff have yet to provide a return timeline, and head coach Xabi Alonso recently noted he still needs "a bit more time". Sporting-wise, his role has diminished, sitting fifth in the centre-back hierarchy behind Antonio Rudiger, Dean Huijsen, Eder Militao, and Raul Asencio, with academy talent Joan Martinez also being fast-tracked.

Alaba's wages are occupying a lot of space for Madrid. Indeed, the Austrian is among the highest-paid players at the club. With an annual salary worth €22.5 million (£19m/$26m), the ex-Bayern Munich is the second-highest paid player at the Bernabeu after Kylian Mbappe.

While Madrid would be happy to part ways with Alaba, they are going to respect the defender's personal wish to see out the remainder of his contract and leave for free next season. There has been no speculation surrounding an immediate departure; Alaba's poor injury record in the past few years and steep decline in quality mean that there have been a lack of suitors. It is, however, expected that he will be fit in time for the start of La Liga and could yet find a role under Alonso, should the coach wish to use a three-at-the-back formation.