Hierro to extend Real contract

Real Madrid captain Fernando Hierro has reached a verbal agreement with the Primera champions to extend his contract by another year. The veteran's current deal is due to run out in June 2002.

The player's agent, Zoran Vekichas, said on Thursday: "We have been talking with the club for some time and both parties have decided to extend their commitment to each other. There won't be any problem with Fernando putting pen to paper."

The 33-year-old, whose buy-out clause is fixed at £18 million, is in fact likely to stay at the Bernabeu for the next three years. There will be a performance-related clause in the Spain international's contract that will give him the option of renewing until 2004.

Hierro joined Real, where he has scored over 100 goals, from Valladolid in 1989.

His presence in the Real squad will be a major boost, as he is the dominant figure in the club.

Steve McManaman has admitted that Hierro was the player the whole club looks up to. "The players here take their cue from Fernando," he said.

Bosnian midfielder Elvir Balic, who has been on a year-long loan with Fenerbahce, agreed. "Fernando is the leader of the pack," he commented.

"At Real, first there is him and then there is everybody else. He was the first person to say hello to me in the dressing-room. He was always on my side when the crowd whistled me."

Last month Hierro entered Spanish football's record books as the leading goalscorer at international level. "27 strikes for Spain is an unusually high number of goals for a defender but it's merely a detail," he said after scoring against Bosnia.