Marseille are determined to retain the services of Mathieu Valbuena and expect him to sign a new deal.
Midfielder close to agreeing new deal with reigning champions
Marseille are determined to retain the services of Mathieu Valbuena and expect him to sign a new deal.
The France international is already tied to the Ligue 1 champions until 2012, but they are keen to extend that agreement.
Talks regarding fresh terms have been going on for some time and Marseille are confident Valbuena will put pen to paper.
They are keen to fend off reported interest in the 25-year-old midfielder, who has become an integral part of their plans again of late.
Coach Didier Deschamps overlooked him during the early stages of the 2009/10 campaign but, having forced his way back in, Valbuena ended the campaign strongly and played a leading role in the club's Ligue 1 title-winning exploits.
"Mathieu is and will remain at Marseille this season," Valbuena's agent, Christophe Hutteau, told
L'Equipe.
"Also, an extension to his contract was verbally agreed a fortnight ago. We have a meeting scheduled to finalise a few details."
