David Alaba says joining Real Madrid was always his priority.
The 28-year-old had been with Bayern Munich since 2008, when he arrived from Austria Wien as a 16-year-old, and he explained just why he chose Real Madrid as his next club.
"I wasn't approached by many clubs, but Real Madrid were at the top of my list," Alaba told Bild.
"Like Bayern Munich, they are one of the biggest clubs in the world, with a special history and tradition."
Alaba is determined to replicate the success he enjoyed at Bayern in a Real Madrid shirt, following on from the long list of those before him that have achieved silverware at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
"There have been so many great players in Real Madrid's history and so many great victories and trophies... I want to join and continue this successful story with the club and the fans," he noted.
"It will be a new chapter in life for my family and for me. I want to develop personally and professionally, and that's precisely why I'm coming to Madrid."
Similarly to Bayern, there is pressure to win all the time at Real Madrid, something the defender recognised.
"It's also about winning every game, winning as many trophies as possible every year," Alaba stated.
"I've internalised the winning mentality and thirst for trophies at Bayern. You need that at Real Madrid and I want to bring that, as well as my experience and my qualities on the pitch."
