Leeds United reward star defender with extended contract

Jansson’s new deal, running to 2022, comes less than four months after he completed a £3.5m move from Torino and is a shot in the arm for a player dropped from United’s starting line-up last weekend.

The Sweden international was left on the bench during a 3-0 win at Bristol City on Saturday following a run of three straight league defeats.

Jansson, who made the Championship’s team of the year during his loan at Elland Road last season, had described his own form as “s**t” in the lead-up to the trip to Ashton Gate and lost his place to Matthew Pennington.

The defender started in last night’s Carabao Cup defeat to Leicester City as Christiansen fielded a second string.

Leeds, however, invested heavily in Jansson over the summer after a highly impressive first year in England.

Jansson’s season-long loan from Torino gave Leeds the option to buy him permanently, a clause United moved to activate in February by finalising a three-year deal with the centre-back.

The transfer from Italy was officially concluded on July 1 but United have now stepped in with the offer of a longer contract stretching beyond Jansson’s 30th birthday.

Jansson told LUTV: “I’m really happy of course. It’s felt like a second home since day one.

“We came from Italy where it was a little bit tougher, a different type of culture and a different type of football. England is quite similar to Sweden and Leeds were fantastic. Everyone has been good to me and when I started to play good on the pitch, I got love from the fans.

"I’m really pleased to be here. I hope I can give something back now."