Wayne Routledge: Veteran forward signs new Swansea City contract
- Published
Boss Steve Cooper (right) describes Wayne Routledge as a "brilliant person" who Swansea are "privileged" to have
Veteran Swansea City forward Wayne Routledge has signed a new one-year deal with the Championship club.
Routledge was due to become a free agent this week but has committed to Swansea until summer 2021.
Boss Steve Cooper was determined to keep the 35-year-old, who he views as a key figure in the Swansea dressing room.
"I'm delighted to have signed a new contract," said Routledge.
"We made more strides forward under the gaffer last season and I'm looking forward to playing a part in that progress in the new season.
"It's been an incredible ride so far - I'm coming up to 10 years of service at Swansea City, and that means a lot."
Routledge, who can play on the wing or up front, scored five goals in 24 appearances in 2019-20.
Two of those goals came on the final day of the season as Swansea claimed a Championship play-off place in dramatic fashion.
His contribution off the field last season was just as significant in the eyes of Cooper, with Routledge winning praise for his influence on Swansea's youthful squad.
He missed out on the two Championship play-off games against Brentford with a calf injury.
With doubts over the future of another senior figure, Nathan Dyer, Routledge may be about to become Swansea's longest-serving player.
He has found a home at the Liberty Stadium having joined the Swans from Newcastle United following their promotion to the Premier League in 2011, scoring 32 goals in 284 appearances for the south Wales side.
Routledge, who has become a firm fans' favourite at Swansea, had previously played for eight clubs in nine years.
"I know people will look at my age and say I'm coming to the end of my career, but all I'm concentrating on is football," he told Swansea's club website.
"I'm not thinking what happens at the end of the new season, or what do I do whenever I finish playing. If I did that then I'm not focusing on the team, and doing my best to help push us forward."
Routledge's decision to stay at the club comes 48 hours after Mike van der Hoorn departed, while fellow defender Kyle Naughton remains in talks over a possible new deal.