Makelele signs new deal

Swansea City have received an end-of-season boost after Claude Makelele signed a new contract at the Liberty Stadium.

Former French international Makelele joined the Swans in January on a short-term deal which was due to expire this summer.

But he has now put pen to paper on a new agreement which will see him stay on as a member of Paul Clement’s coaching staff.

Makelele is one of Clement’s assistants alongside Nigel Gibbs, goalkeeper coach Tony Roberts and head of physical performance Karl Halabi.

The 44-year-old enjoyed a spectacular playing career which included stints at Real Madrid, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.

Clement was on the coaching staff at Stamford Bridge when Makelele was a player, while they were colleagues in Carlo Ancelotti’s backroom team at PSG.

And Clement believes Makelele was an influential figure in the Swans’ successful Premier League survival push.

“We are very happy that he is going to be staying on because he is very popular,” the Swans boss said last week.

“He is a quiet, humble man considering what he did as a player. He has great experience and he has passed that on to the players.”

Makelele, who won 71 France caps, arrived in Wales after offering his services to Clement following his appointment at the beginning of January.

As a player, Makelele was a defensive midfielder of such distinction that the position was eventually named after him.

He won a string of trophies including two La Liga titles, two Premier Leagues and the Champions League.