体坛英语新闻：Athletic renew contract of young defender Laporte

MADRID, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Athletic Club Bilbao this Monday announced that young central defender, Aymeric Laporte has extended his contract with them until the end of June 2016.

The extended deal is a reward for the exceptional form the 18- year-old has shown since being promoted into the first team squad at the start of the year.

He has made eight first team appearances, the last of which was in Sunday's 3-0 drubbing of second place Atletico Madrid on Sunday night.

Laporte, who has come from the Athletic youth system, was playing in the club's third team last season, but such is his progression that he can now be considered first choice in the team.

As a result the club has moved fast to ensure he doesn't leave in the near future, extending his contract from 2015 to 2016 and upping his buyout clause from an accessible 18 million Euros (24 million US dollars) to 27 million Euros (36 million dollars).

Indeed Laporte's new contract comes just 42 days after he signed his first professional contract with the club.

The arrival of the young defender, who was born in the French part of the Basque Region, has come at the right time given that the club's experienced Venezuelan international defender, Fernando Amorebieta has yet to sign a new deal and could leave for nothing at the end of the current season, the same as striker Fernando Llorente, who last week agreed terms to join Italian giants, Juventus at the end of the current campaign.

Neither Llorente nor Amorebieta were played in Sunday's match. Llorente was suffering from a knee problem, while Amorebieta was left out for 'technical reasons.'

Elsewhere, Rayo Vallecano have signed left back Anaitz Arbilla from second division Hercules, while Malaga are on the verge of extending the deal of their Spain Under-21 midfielder, Izco. Izco is wanted by several top sides in Europe and although a new deal may not ensure he stays long term at Malaga, it will at least guarantee the club a lucrative payday.