Leicester City captain Wes Morgan has signed a new contract designed to keep him at the King Power Stadium until June 2019, the English champions said in a statement yesterday.
 The inspirational 32-year-old led 5,000-1 outsiders Leicester to a fairytale Premier league title success last season based on his defensive organisation. “To commit my future to Leicester City is a wonderful feeling. Everyone knows how I feel about playing for this club and with my teammates, so I’m proud to have the chance to carry on wearing the shirt long term,” said Morgan.
 “Lifting that Premier League trophy was a moment I will never forget and it’s still sinking in. Now we’ve got to give it everything to defend it as well as showing what we can do in the Champions League,” he added on the club website (www.lcfc.com).
 Last season, Morgan became only the third outfield player to feature in every minute of a Premier League title-winning campaign after Chelsea’s John Terry (2014/15) and Manchester United’s Gary Pallister (1992/93).
 Since joining the Foxes from Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest in January 2012, Morgan has made 196 appearances for the club, scoring eight goals including two in last season’s title run-in against Southampton and Manchester United.
 But it was his defensive work that stood out as Leicester conceded just 11 league goals in 2016 en route to the title, earning him a place in the PFA Team of the Year.
 “Wes is a leader and a warrior. I’m so happy that he’s committed his future to Leicester City Football Club,” said the club’s Italian manager Claudio Ranieri. “It’s a wonderful time to be part of this team. Last season was so special and Wes was fantastic. Now we have another huge season ahead of us and we need him.”
 The experienced Morgan, who did not play in the top flight until he was aged 30, has featured in all four divisions during his career and chalked up a total of more than 600 appearances.
Ranieri further said he is confident Riyad Mahrez will stay at the club after midfielder N’Golo Kante’s Chelsea move triggered speculation that the influential winger could follow suit.
Leicester have already had to fight off advances from several clubs to keep striker Jamie Vardy and left wing-back Jeffrey Schlupp and Ranieri was certain of retaining the majority of the Premier League title-winning squad.
Mahrez remains the subject of interest from several clubs, including Spanish champions Barcelona, according to the British media, while Vardy rejected Arsenal and signed a new deal at Leicester last month.
“Only Kante wanted to go—that’s okay. But I understood him, he came from a little team in France and had a fantastic season. I said to him stay with us and have another year with us but he wanted to go,” Ranieri said.
“Everybody here is happy and, yes, he wants to stay. No other players will go away—we will stay together. The football continues without Riyad or without Kante but Riyad will stay with us.”