- Axel Witsel is a free agent after leaving Atletico Madrid in June
- Udinese are leading the race to sign the 36-year-old Belgian midfielder
- Witsel prioritises playing time to boost his 2026 World Cup chances
Key Takeaways:
Udinese are favourites to sign Belgian international Axel Witsel, who is a free agent after his contract with Atletico Madrid expired. The 36-year-old midfielder left the Spanish club in June after his deal was not renewed.
🇧🇪 ⚪️⚫️ As revealed on August 2nd, Udinese Calcio’s now the hottest lead for Axel Witsel yet. Advanced talks are underway to reach a final agreement. Witsel has been assured that by joining Serie A, he would be considered by Rudi Garcia with a view to WC26.
⏳Wait&See. #mercato pic.twitter.com/5hKPt8CW5s— Sacha Tavolieri (@sachatavolieri) August 4, 2025
According to Belgian transfer expert Sacha Tavolieri, the club closest to signing Witsel is Udinese. The veteran’s priority is to get as much playing time as possible at a high level in order to secure a place in Belgium’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Udinese, on the other hand, are looking to add more quality and experience to their squad, especially with veteran Florian Thauvin on the verge of a move to Lens.
Witsel has previously come close to a transfer to Serie A. Back in 2016, he waited for hours in a hotel to finalise a move to Juventus on deadline day, but the deal collapsed as the clubs failed to reach an agreement.
A youth product of Standard Liege, Witsel has also played for Benfica, Zenit, Tianjin Quanjian, Borussia Dortmund, and Atletico Madrid.