Matt Grimes has signed a new four-year deal at Swansea City.
The midfielder has committed his future to the club after being heavily linked with a move to Fulham and Bournemouth in summer, putting pen to paper on a deal that will keep him at the Swansea.com Stadium until 2025.
The midfielder has emerged as one of the club's star performers under boss Russell Martin, who recently revealed that the 26-year-old was keen to stay in south Wales.
Grimes, whose previous deal was set to expire at the end of the season, is the only Swans player to have played every minute of Championship football for the club this season.
"It’s an incredible signing for the football club. It would have cost a lot of money to replace him,” Martin told the club's official website.
“Most importantly we would have had to spend a lot of time with whoever was going to replace him.
“We know there had been so much interest in him, but he’s a cultural architect here. He drives so much of what we’re doing.
“He was fighting to accept that he might be leaving at some point, which was really difficult. He’s just become a father, which affects things a lot.
“Now he’s really enjoying everything he’s doing. That’s the bottom line. He’s put enjoyment, fulfilment, learning and understanding what he’s capable of before anything financial, and that shows straight away that we have the right character to lead this team.
“I want to make it clear he could have got a lot more money elsewhere.
“(Sporting director) Mark Allen worked tirelessly to get the deal done, and it’s the biggest news we could have had at this time.
“He feels very connected to the club and the area anyway, but since we’ve come in I think he’s identified that he has a group of staff that really loves him, a group of team-mates that really respect his leadership and love him as a person and captain.
“It’s something that is going to make him the best version of himself on the pitch. People will not see the day-to-day stuff and how important, intelligent and consistent he is – that’s not just consistency in his performances, but his approach to training etc.
“The fact he came to me and said he has never felt happier with the way we are playing and more fulfilled in his football along with the way he’s been treated.
“It makes me proud and emotional that we had that conversation in the first place, and then it was about getting the deal done.
“This helps us plan. It’s massive news for the changing room, the supporters, the staff, the whole club.”
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