Football: Ribery and Van Buyten extend Bayern deals

France winger Franck Ribery signed a two-year contract extension with Bayern Munich on Thursday, keeping him tied to the club until 2017.

Belgium centre-back Daniel van Buyten also added a year to his current deal, meaning he will remain until the end of next season.

Ribery’s extension had been long expected with both parties having expressed in the past few weeks their desire to prolong his deal.

“I’m delighted to be staying in Munich, I’d promised it to the fans and now the contract is signed,” said the 30-year-old in a statement released by the club.

“For my family and myself, Bayern Munich has become a second home and I’m sure that in the coming years we’ll win another trophy or two and defend them.”

The former Marseille and Galatasaray midfielder joined the Bavarian giants in 2007 and this season was part of the historic first ever German treble-winning side as Bayern claimed the Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup crowns.

On Wednesday Ribery told Bild newspaper that he had no reason to leave Bayern and was even eying a testimonial.

“Why should I go elsewhere where I might be unhappy? If I finish here one day I want to go like a ‘great statesman’, with a goodbye match like Mehmet Scholl (who spent 15 years at Bayern),” said Ribery.

The Frenchman scored 10 goals and provided 15 assists in 27 games during the past Bundesliga season, while also scoring once and setting up five goals, including one in the final, in the Champions League.

Van Buyten, 35, joined Bayern from Hamburg the year before Ribery. He had also played for Marseille and spent an unsuccessful loan spell at Manchester City in 2004.

“We’re delighted to be going forward with two important elements of the team,” said Bayern’s Chief Executive Officer Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

“Franck and Daniel have have done amazing things over the years. We’ve always been able to count on them and they’ve often made the difference in crucial moments.”