Real Madrid defender Pepe has extended his contract at the club and will remain at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2017, it has been confirmed.
The Portuguese, who signed for the 10-time Champions League winners from Porto, had entered the final year of his contract but both him and the club were keen to extend their partnership for another 12 months.
A statement on the club’s official website read: “Pepe signed his contract extension with Real Madrid in the Board Room alongside the president, Florentino Pérez. The defender will remain at the club until 30 June 2017. After putting pen to paper, he was presented with a watch and a jersey bearing his name and the number 2017.”
Prior to extending his deal, a number of stories had circulated regarding his future, with Manchester City reportedly keen on signing him.
Pepe has been part of a formidable partnership over recent seasons with Sergio Ramos at the heart of the Los Blancos defence. At 32, he best days are behind him, and last season he played fewer minutes than Frenchman Raphael Varane. His experience will be key though both for Varane as he continues to learn his trade and for the Real squad overall as they look to win back the La Liga title from Barcelona this season.
