Atlético Madrid announced on Friday that Gabi Fernández has renewed his contract with the club and will remain in red and white until June 2018.
The captain’s original contract was due to run out next summer, but he has extended for another year and will walk team team out for the first game at La Peineta next season.
Enrique Cerezo verbally announced that Gabi had agreed a new deal at an event earlier in the week celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Vicente Calderón.
The news was confirmed on Atleti’s official website on Friday lunchtime, with the canterano turned club legend declaring his delight at putting pen-to-paper with his boyhood club.
“I’m very happy to stay for another year, this is my home,” he said. “It’s a great challenge to be able to be in the team when we move to the new stadium.”
“A new and exciting stage starts for the club and being the captain of the first team in a moment that will go down in history is a source of pride for me.”
Now approaching the latter years of his career, Gabi continues to defy the odds with inspiring performances in midfield, and his renewal comes at the perfect time given the transfer ban and Augusto’s injury.
The new contract will run up until just before his 35th birthday, and with Simeone’s contract also expiring in 2018, some fans have been speculating – could Gabi be the man to take the reins if Cholo (god forbid) decides to move on?
We’ll leave that one for you to debate, but hopefully we’ll see the two of them finally get their hands on the one trophy they so crave whilst they still have the chance.
Gabi has played 325 times for Atlético across two spells, and has captained the club to five trophies since returning from Real Zaragoza in 2011.
Just how much longer can Gabi go on for? Is he the best captain in the club’s history?