Bednarek: I'd love to stay for 10 years

Signed from Lech Poznań in his homeland at the age of 21 back in 2017, the Polish defender had to wait nine months to make his Premier League debut, marking the occasion with a goal against Chelsea.

Since then Bednarek has racked up more than 200 appearances for the club, from survival scraps to topping the Premier League, cup runs and last season’s Wembley triumph, as the 28-year-old became an influential figure in Saints’ promotion from the Championship.

Now the rejuvenated centre-back is motivated to extend his Saints story in the Premier League and help the club establish itself back in the top flight.

“Probably when I first arrived here I would never expect to stay here for 10 years,” he said. “Really happy that I was able to work hard enough to achieve 10 years at one club, hopefully.

“I think it’s a great moment for me, for my family, for everyone around me. With hard work, with belief and trying to always stay the same, I deserve to extend the contract.

“I think that’s also a great challenge and opportunity for me to keep growing. I think I’m in the right place with the right manager with the right fans.”

Bednarek acknowledged the part Russell Martin has played in helping to rebuild his relationship with the Saints support following his departure to Aston Villa on loan in the 2022/23 season.

Whilst he returned to St Mary’s midway through the campaign and forced his way back into the team, he was unable to prevent the club’s 11-year Premier League stay coming to an end. Fast forward 12 months, Bednarek is more popular than ever.

“I think in that part I had to be a little bit patient, back myself to build the trust with the fans,” he said. “It took a while, but happy days we got it. At the moment I want to pay back – I want to fight for the team and give my best.

“What the manager did was something special, I think, because he created the group that comes in every day and enjoys every day of the session, every minute of the time spent at the training ground, so I think that’s one of the reasons I wanted to stay, why I wanted to extend the contract.

“He made me feel special at the club. He made me feel really important, so I think what I can do is really work hard for him and pay back. That is the right way, the right path to keep learning as a team, as a group and also as an individual.

“What the manager has shown me is that I can still learn, I can still develop as a player and I think that’s right. At the age that I am right now, I can still develop, grow and learn, and that’s something I want to do because I can still have a lot of assets of the game that I can still develop.

“I think we created something special and I think that was the only one decision I could make – to extend the contract and stay here.”