Swansea City captain Leon Britton has signed a new one-year contract at the Welsh club.
The club announced that their influential midfielder has an option for another year on his contract, which would take him to 2019, but that is appearance-based.
Britton has been in and out of the Swansea side this season, but a late resurgence under manager Paul Clement couldn’t have been completed without a return to the starting lineup for the 34-year-old.
It won’t come as a shock to any fans either, but the clubs statement also said that the contract has ensured a coaching role at the club for Britton when he retires.
The quotes
Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins said: “Leon has and still is a fantastic servant to this football club. He is a model pro and we are very proud to say he is representing Swansea City.”
Jenkins then continued by saying that Britton has made a “tremendous contribution to this club, both on and off the pitch, over the last 15 years.”
“I hope this new contract paves the way for Leon to remain with us for many more years to come.”
Always going to happen
There were rumours a few weeks agothat Britton would receive a contract extension, and it has been the club’s intent to keep their midfield stalwart at the club for as long as possible.
Britton embodies ‘The Swansea Way’ which, has started to deteriorate over the past few years as Britton’s gametime has been more limited.
He remains committed as ever to the club though, and has been coaching some of the youth sides while undertaking his coaching badges, with a view to staying at the club post-retirement.
Britton however will forever be remembered as one of Swansea’s greatest ever players, and was there throughout their historic rise from bottom of League Two to the Premier League.
He plays with a certain bounce to his game that has made Swansea great, and why they have been nicknamed ‘Swansalona’ over the years.
Britton has made over 520 appearances for the club since he joined from West Ham in 2002, where fans were collecting money for the club to help pay for his wages.
He made 18 appearances last season, and when plugged back into the midfield for the home stretch as Swansea aimed to avoid relegation, and his calming influence definitely paid dividends.