CIARAN CLARK HAS signed a new three-year contract and committed his future to Aston Villa.
The Ireland defender, who first joined Villa at the age of 12, agreed a deal which will keep him at the club until the summer of 2016.
Clark made 35 appearances last season and continued his run of captaining Villa at every level when manager Paul Lambert appointed him as stand-in skipper.
After flirting with the relegation zone for most of last season, Villa won two of their last four games and finished 15th.
The club’s pre-season preparations have been overshadowed by speculation over the future of star striker Christian Benteke who handed in a transfer request and has been linked repeatedly with a move to Tottenham Hotspur.
But Lambert has strengthed his hand with six new signings while Brad Guzan, Andreas Weimann, Nathan Baker and Ashley Westwood have also agreed new contracts.
“We feel like we have very strong foundations in place,” Clark told the club’s official website.
“The last couple of seasons we’ve had some ups and downs and we’ve always stuck together and supported one another, whatever’s happened. We’ll continue to do that and that’s what will continue to help us to progress together as a team.
“The manager has also been superb in instilling confidence and ambition, a real desire to succeed for the club and we’re all hungry to achieve something here.”
