Thursday 6 August 2015 16:31, UK
Fabricio Coloccini has signed a new contract at Newcastle United until 2017.
Coloccini had been linked with a move to Crystal Palace, and a link up with former United boss Alan Pardew, so the news comes as a welcome boost on the eve of the new season.
Coloccini, 33, told the club website: "I am very happy to have signed a new contract. I have been here for seven years and I love this club. I feel part of the family at Newcastle United.
"Headlines and speculation are normal when a player only has one year left on their contract, but the club have shown they want to keep me and that has made me feel very happy and very proud.
"I am also very happy to continue as the captain of this football club. Captaining Newcastle makes me so proud. I am not from this city or this country, and so to be given the responsibility of wearing the armband every week is a very special thing."
United head coach Steve McClaren added: "From day one at the club, Fabricio has been a stand-out character and I'm delighted we have secured his future with us.
I knew straight away his heart was with the club and the new contract was agreed very quickly
"Once we sat down together to iron things out, I knew straight away his heart was with the club and the new contract was agreed very quickly. Fabricio is my captain. He is a leader, hugely respected throughout the club and a top-class player on top of that.
"There was interest and it went beyond speculation and I think that has hindered Colo's preparation in pre-season with all that going on. It's been going on too long but luckily the club have sat down with him.
"I've said I want him as captain here and we've got a senior group of players here and I've sat down with every one of them and they've said they want him as captain.
"It was an easy decision in the end to sit him down and extend his contract and hopefully finish his career here at Newcastle United, where he's been for seven years.
“Sometimes captains are different - some could be vocal and some could be right in the media's face every week.
"Colo is a quiet, reserved, very professional person who leads the team through his stature and the respect he has got in the dressing room.
"When he speaks - which isn't often - it's always valuable, always perceptive, always necessary. The rest of the team are delighted he's back on board and so am I."
