Town keeper Bartosz Bialkowski is delighted to have signed his new deal with the Blues and says it’s a “massive honour” to play for “this amazing football club”.
The 31-year-old put pen to paper on a three-year contract earlier today with Town having an option for a further season.
"I’m absolutely delighted, it’s been a long time, but thankfully it’s all signed and done and I’m really happy, my family’s happy and that’s the most important thing,” he told the club site.
"Honestly, it's a massive honour for me to play for this amazing football club. I'm very proud, my family is proud. I always wanted to stay and I said that so many times.”
Birmingham City made offers for the Polish international this summer, while Premier League Crystal Palace showed interest in January. However, the former Notts County and Southampton man says his head was never turned.
"Obviously everyone has got ambitions but you need to look at the bigger picture,” he reflected.
"This is a club where I feel very happy and at this moment in time I just wanted to stay here and I made it clear I wanted to sign a new long-term contract here.”
Bialkowski returned to the club following his post-World Cup break today and says he has spoken to new manager Paul Hurst on a couple of occasions: "I’m really looking forward to working with him.”
Despite not featuring for Poland at the World Cup and his side being eliminated after two games, Bialkowski says he will have great memories of the tournament.
"It was amazing, everything was top drawer, the atmosphere in Russia was absolutely incredible," he added.
"It was just a shame about our results. We didn’t want to finish playing not as good as we could but obviously we’ve been knocked out from the group stages so early and unfortunately we had to come back home.
"But as an experience it was absolutely incredible. Where does it rank in my career in terms of high points? Definitely top.”
The three-times-Player-of-the-Year putting pen to paper ends six months of uncertainty regarding his future.
In January, following the interest from Palace, former manager Mick McCarthy prematurely announced that a new contract had been agreed.
It’s a great honour to play for this great football club. Me and my family are very proud!!! Thank u for all the msgs guys🙌 💙💙💙💙🚜🚜👊😉– Bartosz Bialkowski (@1BartMan1) July 16, 2018
However, Bialkowski later confirmed that there were still aspects of those terms to be finalised and talks were continuing, although he had every intention of remaining with the Blues.
Town expected interest in the summer and the bids from Birmingham duly arrived, however, discussions regarding the new deal - a year longer than the January terms - were already under way with only minor aspects needing to be concluded upon his return to the club.
We understand weekend reports in the national press claiming the deal is worth £20,000 a week are a significant exaggeration, although Bialkowski has received a substantial pay rise and will now be one of the club’s top earners.
Bialkowski is expected to be in the squad which travels to East Grinstead Town's East Court tomorrow to face League Two Crawley Town, but Danish international left-back Jonas Knudsen, who was also at the World Cup, has been given a further week away.