Angel Rangel has signed a new contract at Swansea City
8th August
Angel Rangel has signed a one-year contract extension which ties him to Swansea City until the summer of 2018.
And having agreed a deal which will see his stint as a Swan stretch to at least 11 seasons, Rangel is keen to play a central role in the upcoming Premier League campaign.
The Spanish star spent the first half of last season acting as back-up to fellow right-back Kyle Naughton.
But he eventually forced his way back into first-team contention and finished 2015-16 on a high, racking up 25 appearances as the Swans pulled clear of relegation danger.
And though he will be 34 in October, Rangel insists he is full of energy and desire as Francesco Guidolin's men get set for a new season.
"It was a very easy decision to sign the contract - we did not have to talk for long," he said.
"We all know the relationship we have - me with the club and the club with me.
"Huw Jenkins has always been very supportive in every single way, so I am delighted to have extended my contract for another year and I am looking forward hopefully to having more years at the club.
"This is my home now. This contract will take me to 11 years here and I am so pleased with that.
"I have a Welsh family and I feel as though I know the city and the country now. I am looking forward to staying here to continue playing football and in the future I think I will be here as well."
A regular on the right of the Swans rearguard ever since arriving at the Liberty back in 2007, Rangel faced a first serious challenge for his place when Naughton signed from Spurs in January 2015.
Yet he has still chalked up a healthy number of appearances, and insists he is ready for regular football in the upcoming season.
"I am 33 now but I still feel fresh. That's one of the main reasons why I am still signing contracts," Rangel added.
"I think the club can see I am still going strong every day in training.
"Obviously, when you reach a certain age, you see yourself playing fewer games than you did when you were younger, but the fitness levels are still there.
"You lose a bit of pace, but you gain more experience in the game. I think overall it's about how much I can offer to the team, how much of a professional I can be and how hard I work.
"We have very healthy competition in every position. Since he arrived, Kyle Naughton has played so well on the right-hand side. Sometimes you have to accept that you have good competition, and that some players can do as well or better than you sometimes.
"When that happens, you just have to work hard and wait for your chance.
"Last season I didn't play much at the beginning, but in the second half I was very involved and we did well to stay in the league, so that was pleasing for me and everyone involved."
The Swans begin their sixth successive season as a top-flight club with a trip to Burnley this weekend.
After the stresses and strains of last term, when the Swans struggled for a long time before finishing with a flourish, Rangel hopes 2016-17 will be more enjoyable.
"We don't want to leave it until the end to get 40 points. We want to get them as soon as possible," he said.
"It's not going to be easy - a lot of teams have strengthened with all the money coming in to the league.
"But our target is to get to 40 points as fast as possible, then see how far we can go."
