Fabricio Coloccini has signed a one-year contract extension and retains the United captain's armband



Newcastle United's Fabricio Coloccini has signed a one-year extension to his contract, which will keep him at St. James' Park until the end of the 2016/17 season, with the option of a further year.

He also retains the captain's armband for the 2015/16 campaign, his fifth season as the Magpies' skipper.

United head coach Steve McClaren said: "From day one at the Club, Fabricio has been a stand-out character and I'm delighted we have secured his future with us.

"Once we sat down together to iron things out, I knew straight away his heart was with the Club and the new contract was agreed very quickly.

"Fabricio is my captain. He is a leader, hugely respected throughout the Club and a top-class player on top of that."

Coloccini added: "I am very happy to have signed a new contract. I have been here for seven years and I love this Club. I feel part of the family at Newcastle United.

"Headlines and speculation are normal when a player only has one year left on their contract, but the Club have shown they want to keep me and that has made me feel very happy and very proud.

"I am also very happy to continue as the captain of this football club. Captaining Newcastle makes me so proud. I am not from this city or this country, and so to be given the responsibility of wearing the armband every week is a very special thing."

Thirty-three-year-old Coloccini joined United from Deportivo La Coruna in August 2008.

He began his career with the youth team of Argentinos Juniors and then Boca Juniors before moving to Italian giants AC Milan in 1999, however spent most of his five years at the San Siro out on loan.

Coloccini, who has represented Argentina in the World Cup and the Olympics, signed for Deportivo in 2004 and made more than 100 appearances over four seasons in La Liga before switching to Tyneside.

The centre-back was named United's club captain ahead of the 2011/12 campaign and led by example as the Magpies finished fifth in the Premier League, qualifying for Europe in the process.

To cap an outstanding season, he was named in the PFA's Premier League Team of the Year and also voted the 2011 North East Football Writers' Player of the Year.

To date, Coloccini has made 248 appearances for the Magpies, scoring six goals.