By DPA,
Tenero (Switzerland) : German central defender Per Mertesacker has agreed a contract extension keeping him with Bundesliga side Werder Bremen until 2012.
“Werder wants to achieve big things and so do I. It’s an ideal constellation and I am very happy,” he said.
Mertesacker, 23, who joined Werder from Hanover in 2006, is set to win his 48th cap for Germany in the Euro 2008 semi-final against Turkey in Basle Wednesday.
Germany’s team manager, Oliver Bierhoff, said at the team’s base in Tenero, Switzerland Sunday he was pleased with the agreement, which ends any potential disruptive speculation on the future of the player.
Mertesacker said: “The success here at Euro and the feeling that Werder definitely want to continue working with me is great.”