Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Defender Rafinha has extended his contract with Bayern Munich by a year until June 2018, the German giants said on Friday, as they tie down their stellar names.

The 31-year-old Brazilian has played 186 matches for the Bundesliga champions and scored four goals since joining in 2011 from Genoa.

His contract had been due to expire at the end of this season.

Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge called the right-back “an important player for us on the pitch, but also a very popular man in the dressing room”.

“I have been here almost six years now. Bayern is like a second family to me and one of the best clubs in the world,” said the full-back, who joins Franck Ribery and Robert Lewandowski in committing to Bayern.

The priority now for the Bavarians is to get Dutch wing wizard Arjen Robben, 32, to extend his contract but no announcement is expected before the end of the calendar year.