Wendie Renard signs four-year contract extension with Lyon
By Ali Rampling
Wendie Renard has signed a four-year contract extension with Lyon to keep her at the club until 2026.
The new deal puts an end to speculation about Renard's future, with the centre back hinting in February that she was considering leaving Lyon to experience playing in another league once her contract expired at the end of the 2021/22 campaign.
However, she has instead put pen to paper on a bumper new contract which will keep her at Lyon until she is 35, and means she will have spent 20 years with the French club.
"The whole of Olympique Lyonnais is delighted with this extension which puts Wendie Renard a little more in the history of football," a statement released on Lyon's official club website read. "It is the first step for making the 2022/23 season OL Women's most ambitious yet."
Renard joined Lyon in 2006 and the age of 16, and has captained the side since 2013.
She has enjoyed a glittering career with the club, lifting 31 trophies as Lyon have enjoyed unrivalled dominance on both the domestic and European stage.
Not only a figure of composure and consistency at the back, Renard has an impressive scoring rate for a centre half, netting 136 times in 419 appearances for Lyon.
The 31-year-old made history in April by becoming the first player to reach 100 appearances in the Women's Champions League.
She has won the competition seven times - and could make it eight when Lyon take on Barcelona in this season's final on Saturday 21 May.