Gabriel Tamas signs new contract at West Brom

West Bromwich Albion have been given a boost as influential central defender Gabriel Tamas has signed a new contract that will keep him at the club for another three and a half years with a further year's option in the club's favour.

Tamas's new contract is just reward for being a consistently good performer since joining the club from Auxerre on loan last January.

Roberto Di Matteo is rightly pleased to have secured a key man to the club, 'I'm delighted Gabi has been offered this new contract. It is richly deserved.

He was already effectively committed to the club until 2014 but the improved terms are just reward for the progress and contribution he has made here in the past 11 months.

Gabi is an important figure both on and off the field and has a big role to play in helping the club achieve our goals this season.'

Dan Ashworth, the brains behind the Baggies' recruitment policy, spoke of his delight that Tamas has signed a new contract, 'Gabi has adapted really well to the demands of the English game.

He has really settled in well here and we're delighted he's further committed his future to the club.

Gabi has been both very consistent and dependable over the past 11 months, missing only one league game through injury.'

Tamas has been instrumental in helping some of the other new recruits settle into the team as he speaks several languages. He is a tremendous asset to the club and is well liked by fans, team mates and club officials which rather flies in the face of the reputation that he cam to the country with. The Romanian press seemed to perpetuate damaging lies about Tamas but thankfully Albion are seeing the true professional.

Gabriel is pleased to have finally settled down after a nomadic footballing existence,

'I'm very happy because I signed with West Brom.

I'm glad to be here.

I'm very happy at this club.

I like the staff, the people from the club, the team and my colleagues.

Also, my girlfriend is very happy here and my family is good.

I was moving a lot.

For a football player it is difficult to settle down if you don't fit - it's very difficult.

Maybe the family has a problem with the place.

Here I like the football, I like the life, I like everything in England.

My family also like it - and it's like I'm home.

This is the happiest I've been as a footballer.'

Tamas is one of a group of individuals that Albion wish to build their Premier League futures around and thankfully they have tied him down.

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