Leeds United defender Gaetano Berardi spoke exclusively to LUTV after agreeing a new deal with the club until the end of the 2020/21 season.

Berardi featured 22 times in the Sky Bet Championship for the Whites during the 2019/20 campaign as Marcelo Bielsa’s side won promotion to the Premier League.

The Swiss defender is the longest serving first team member at Elland Road and he has now extended his stay further, as he fights back from an injury sustained in the penultimate game of the last campaign.

Fan favourite Berardi spoke about his injury and about being offered a new contract at the club.

“The recovery is going very well, I’m working with the medical staff and they are carrying out very professional work with me, so I am very happy with this,” said Berardi.

“It’s a good feeling (to get a new contract), of course it is not the best situation with me with and the injury and also for the club to sign a player like me in this moment.

“So, it’s a good feeling for me and I’m happy about this and would like to say thank you to the club for this.

“I hope the club felt my contribution (over the past six years) to do it and in my opinion this is the biggest motivation to do it.

“There have been a lot of changes during my time here, many good things have happened, some bad things, but I will always take the good things and my six years of being here has been a beautiful experience.

“I’m here trying to recover and taking my time, but in my head I’m sure I will be fit in time to have a chance to train with the lads and do my best.

“I want to have a big part in the team, playing or not playing, at the moment I’m going my job in a different way and I think the team know this.

“It’s been a really good start and watching the first games, we are all really confident about the season.”