http://tinyurl.com/6lms2l telegraph
Bacary Sagna, the Arsenal defender, has signed a new contract that will tie
the Frenchman to his Premier League club until 2014.
The 25-year-old right-back flourished in his debut season in England after a
￡6 million move from Auxerre last summer, and was named in the PFA Team of
the Year.
Sagna was only 12 months into his current contract, but Arsene Wenger was
eager to extend his stay further.
Reports in France last month suggested that Wenger was preparing to offer
Sagna a two-year extension, but interest from Juventus, Barcelona and Real
Madrid convinced him to offer Sagna a six-year deal.
Sagna said: "I love Arsenal, they are a great club. The manager is also very
good and next season we will be fighting for all the trophies."
Confirmation of the new deal will go some way towards making up for the
disappointment of his surprise exclusion from France's Euro 2008 squad.
France coach Raymond Domenech selected Willy Sagnol and Francois Clerc ahead
of Sagna.
"This is neither a surprise nor a disappointment. It's just bizarre," Sagna
said of being overlooked. "I had prepared for this eventuality due to my
injury. These are the vagaries of football. I am injured at the wrong time."
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"Sometimes there is nothing better in life than being a Gooner."
- Kevin Campbell
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