Sol Bamba: Cardiff City defender signs new three-year deal

Sol Bamba has played 44 times for the Ivory Coast

Cardiff City defender Sol Bamba has signed a new three-year contract to remain at the Championship leaders, boss Neil Warnock has confirmed.

The 32-year-old Ivory Coast international was manager Warnock's first Bluebirds signing.

Warnock revealed the club had received inquires about the centre back during the summer.

"We've agreed to give Bamba a three-year deal, which we're delighted with," he said.

"He's done really well, it's only right we give him that little bit of security," he added.

"He is so committed to the club and he doesn't get any older!"

Bamba signed for Cardiff as a free agent, waiting for the call from Warnock as soon as his former Leeds manager found a new club.

"He got the estate agents for three different areas before he came here - but that's how it was at the time," said Warnock.

Warnock says Bamba is of Premier League quality.

"I know how good he is I would not worry about playing Bamba if he was in the top flight, let alone the Championship. That is how much I rate him," he said.

"I had quite a number of inquires for him in the summer, I don't want to anything to start cropping up. He's loving it at the moment you can see by the way he's playing.

"I spoke to (owner) Vincent Tan and (chairman) Mehmet Dalman, they agreed that if that is the way forward they would support me. It's just another foundation. We already have a good foundation with him staying, Sean Morrison staying and Joe Bennett wants to stay."

Striker Ibrahim Meite has joined Crawley Town on loan until January.