Federico Fernandez confirms new Swansea contract

Swansea City centre-back Federico Fernandez has confirmed he is set to sign a new contract with the Premier League club.

Despite being linked with a move away from the Welsh side during last month’s transfer window, the Argentina international said he was happy to stay and help with the Swans’ fight against relegation.

Fernandez, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fernando Llorente were the subject of bids in January, according to chairman Huw Jenkins.

But recognition of his performances since a €10m move from Napoli in 2014 – including in Swansea’s 2-0 win against current champions Leicester City on Saturday – led Fernandez to decide to put pen to paper.

“They said I was very important for the team. They are confident in me,” he said.

“Probably in the next week I will sign a new contract.”

Another great game, the team showing good football and in difficult moments working together. Clean sheet pic.twitter.com/PDDkF9dO0g

— Fede Fernandez (@pajarofernandez) February 12, 2017

Swansea struggled in the early stages of the season, leading to successive sackings for Francesco Guidolin and then Bob Bradley, with current manager Paul Clement brought in at the turn of the year.

The Swans have won three of their last five games and are crawling away from the relegation zone but, with Chelsea up next, Fernandez knows the job is far from done.

“We have a long way to go, but we are doing things in the right way,” he said.