The coveted Atlético Madrid midfielder Saúl Ñíguez has signed a new nine-year contract – one of the longest in football history – that will run until June 2026.

The 22-year-old has emerged as one of the most exciting midfield talents in Europe over the past two seasons and was a key player during Atlético’s run to the Champions League semi-finals last season.

Ñíguez played 53 games for Atlético last season, scoring nine goals, four of which were in the Champions League, and the length of the deal is shows how highly he is rated by the manager, Diego Simeone.

“I am very happy because at Atlético we are a family and there is no better place to be,” Ñíguez said in a statement.

“I will work my full potential on the field as always to pay back the trust that the club is giving to me. I’d like to thank all my team-mates and the coaching staff for their help day by day so that I can be the player I am today.”

Ñíguez excelled for Spain at the European Under-21 Championship and received the Golden Boot for scoring five goals in five matches as well as a runners-up medal.

Atlético are subject to a transfer ban until January 2018 so keeping Ñíguez and Antoine Griezmann, who signed a one-year extension this summer, were key for their early-season hopes.