Karim Bellarabi has signed a new deal with Bayer Leverkusen, which will keep him at the club until 30 June 2020.
The 24-year-old's current contract was until 2017 after agreeing to a new deal in December, and has been rewarded for his consistent performances this season and intends to repay the faith shown in him by manager Roger Schmidt. Bellarabi has also made his full international debut for Germany.
"I've taken a massive step forwards in my development under coach Roger Schmidt this term," Bellarabi told the official Leverkusen website.
"I've become a much better player under his guidance and in his system. Even in previous years, when I had to battle against persistent injuries and was on loan at Eintracht Braunschweig.
"I always felt that Bayer 04 believed in me and that I was needed here. I've never experienced the kind of trust Roger Schmidt has placed in me, though. I'll give my all to pay both him and the club back for that."
Sporting director Rudi Völler had a lot of praise for Bellarabi and the recent progress he has made: "We brought Karim here as a very young third-division player from Braunschweig, and although he was injured for a long time at the beginning, he never lost sight of his goal of establishing himself here with us."
Bellarabi has started every league game under Schmidt in 2014-15 and has nine Bundesliga goals to his name this season, more than any other Leverkusen player.
There was interest in the German midfielder from top clubs around the world but dismissed them and signed a new deal with the team that are currently sixth in the table, two points off the top four.