Diego Simeone has delivered a video message to Atletico Madrid supporters and players following his contract renewal.

Simeone extended his deal with the club until June 2020 earlier this week. It is understood Atletico Madrid made the manager the highest paid member of its squad – Simeone will reportedly earn £4.5 million per season.

In a video message published on the club’s official website, the manager promised supporters that the club would continue to grow and the team would carry on competing the way it has since he arrived in the Spanish capital three-and-a-half years ago.

“The club has once against opted to maintain a stable project, in which we’re seeing strong growth by the club and great excitement over what is to come: the stadium and continuing to compete the way we have been,” Simeone said.

In just over three years with Simeone and his staff in charge, Atletico Madrid have won a Europa League title, the UEFA Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup, Copa del Rey and a La Liga title – while also finishing as Champions League runners-up last season.

Atletico are currently in fourth place on the La Liga table and have advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals after beating Bayer Leverkusen in the second leg of their Round of 16 tie on penalties. They are set to face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the competition.

Simeone went on to thank his players, while reiterating the club needs to qualify for the Champions League in order to continue competing with Europe’s elite clubs, financially.

“Without them [the players], without their involvement, their commitment, their wanting to transmit on the field the work we outline for them out of it, we wouldn’t be able to achieve all that we’re achieving together,” Simeone added.

“So, to the players who’ve been from the beginning until today, I just want to say ‘thank you’ and that until 2020 I’ll be demanding towards everyone.

“The club needs to qualify for the Champions League to continue competing on the pitch, and in order to compete on the pitch you need to compete financially. And to compete financially, we all have to understand that third place brings us closer to that.”

Simeone also had a message for any players interested in joining his football renaissance in Madrid.

“I want the player who comes to Atletico de Madrid to understand that the Atletico shirt is above any rival that plays, and no matter the rival we play against, the important thing is wearing the Atletico de Madrid shirt.”