LAST UPDATE | 28 Jul 2021

IRELAND’S SEAMUS COLEMAN has signed a new Everton deal.

The club captain put pen to paper on a one-year contract extension with the Toffees, keeping him at Goodison Park the end of June 2023.

The long-serving defender, who joined from Sligo Rovers in January 2009 for £60,000 (over €70,500), has since made 350 appearances for Everton while becoming one of the club’s most popular — and consistent — players of the modern era.

32-year-old Coleman was made Blues’ skipper in 2019 and also captains Ireland, having earned 59 caps since making his international debut in 2011.

“I’m very happy,” Coleman told evertontv, reiterating his desire to lead the side to silverware, under new manager Rafa Benitez.

“Everyone around the football club and I’m sure all the fans know how much this club has meant to me from day one.

“It’s a massive honour to extend my time here. It was about getting my head down and to keep working hard like I’ve always done, and the club decided to reward me with that. It’s something I’m very happy with.

Hopefully now I can keep going as long as possible, give my experience to the younger lads, help and support them in any way I can, and contribute on the pitch as much as possible.

“Discussions with Marcel [Brands, director of football], the board and the manager were straight forward. It’s not something that I just wanted to be given. I worked very hard last season and thought I did quite well in the games that I played in.

“Every day in training I pushed myself to the limits and did all I could to stay and play for a big football club like this. I’m very thankful to Marcel, the manager, the chairman and the board to get this done.”

“I keep saying it and make no apologies for it, winning is what we’re here to do,” the Donegal man added.

“The whole football club’s vision is to break that barrier [to win silverware again]. My job in the process is to be sure we are doing all the right things behind the scenes, on the training pitch, the best way possible.

“It’s about being the best we can every day, making sure we demand more off each other. It’s something that I need to do, the senior players need to do and the new players need to do.

It’s very easy to sit here and say it but we all need to show the right attitude at the club and hopefully that can help us going forward.

“We shouldn’t take for granted the size of the football club we are at, the plans for Everton going forward, the talent of the players we have. It’s something we should embrace and enjoy being part of.”

Everton Chairman Bill Kenwright noted: “I’m sure I speak on behalf of everyone connected with Everton when I say I’m delighted that Seamus has signed this contract extension.

“Since his man-of-the-match performance on his Premier League debut almost 12 years ago, he has displayed all the qualities Evertonians love – skill, passion, determination, and an unrelenting desire to win and to be the best.

“A loyal, universally respected leader who has worn our shirt with pride no less than 350 times and on every single occasion has given his all – just as he does every day in training and when he represents us in the community.

“It takes a lot to become thought of as a legend at Everton – but Seamus is right up there with the very best. And knowing Seamus, I’m sure there’s even more to come…

“Seamus Coleman. True hero, true blue. I’m proud to know him and to be his chairman.”

- Originally published 17.19, updated to appear on TheJournal.ie.