Real Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez has confirmed that he has agreed a new one-year contract with the capital giants.
The 33-year-old has been a loyal servant to Los Blancos since rising through the youth ranks and made 44 appearances for Carlo Ancelotti's side in all tournaments last season.
However, with Eder Militao, David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger all battling for starts at the back, Nacho struggled to make his mark on a consistent basis, starting 18 games in La Liga and a mere four in the Champions League.
The Spaniard's versatility often came in handy, though, as he featured in the heart of defence and on both flanks in 2022-23, scoring one goal and setting up one more in the Spanish top flight.
Nacho's contract is due to expire at the end of the month, and the Premier League has been touted as a potential destination for the former Castilla starlet, who is believed to have attracted the attention of Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
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Despite interest from the West Midlands, Nacho has now announced to RTVE that he will pen an extension at Bernabeu to keep him at the club for another 12 months.
"There are always offers, but I've decided to stay for another year. I'm happy about it and I'm looking forward to continuing," the defender said, although his future beyond 2024 remains unclear.
Nacho joined Real Madrid's youth academy at the age of 11 and has gone on to make 319 appearances for Los Blancos in all tournaments, scoring 16 goals and setting up nine more.
The defender has a glittering resume of silverware to show for his efforts at the Bernabeu, winning 23 major trophies in white, including five Champions League crowns between 2014 and 2022.
Nacho has also collected five Club World Cups, three La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys, four Spanish Super Cups and four UEFA Super Cups during his stint with Los Blancos, who are still facing uncertainty with other out-of-contract athletes.
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Ancelotti has unexpectedly lost Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema to Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad, while Marco Asensio, Eden Hazard and Mariano Diaz are also on the way out.
Midfield trio Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Dani Ceballos are out of contract at the end of the month, but all three are believed to have been offered deals to stay in the Spanish capital.
Kroos's renewal is expected to be announced soon, but there are now fears that Modric could snub an extension and head to Saudi Arabia, as Los Blancos prepare for the arrival of Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund.
Bellingham is set to become Real's second signing of the summer window following the return of Fran Garcia from Rayo Vallecano, while Brahim Diaz will also be a part of the first-team setup next season after spending three seasons on loan at AC Milan.
Ben Knapton
