London (AFP) – Brazilian international Fernandinho, rated by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola as one of the three best defensive midfielders in the world, signed a two year extension to his contract on Friday.
The new deal will see the 32-year-old — who has been at City since joining from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk for £34 million ($47 million) in 2013 — tied to the club until 2020.
Fernandinho, who has won a Premier League title and two League Cups since being at City, has provided the steel in midfield which has had Guardiola purring that if every side had “three Fernandinho’s they would be champions.”
The Brazilian — whose time at Shakhtar was a golden one for the club sweeping six league titles and the 2009 UEFA Cup — said it made him feel special that Guardiola should pay him such compliments.
“I am so glad to hear this kind of comment from him,” he told the club’s website.
“He has worked with a lot of great players, a lot of quality players, intelligent players.
“So when you hear something like that you know you have to keep going the way you are now because if someone like him says that you know you are doing the right things.”
Fernandinho, a member of the Brazil side that suffered a humiliating 7-1 thrashing by eventual champions Germany in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals, said his target for the two years ahead was to collect as much silverware as possible.
“Goals! Targets! The main thing for me is going to be to stay here and try to win as many trophies as we can,” he said.
“I’m very, very happy to sign a new deal and to stay at this club.
“It’s been a long journey since I joined and we’re going to continue going forward, trying to win trophies. This is the main target for me and the club.”
