Gaetan Bong signs new Brighton deal

Brighton and Hove Albion left back Gaetan Bong has signed a new contract with the club, taking him through until the summer of 2019.

Bong’s current deal was due to expire this summer but having proven himself a capable Premier League performer over the course of 15 appearances so far this season, the club have moved to tie him down for another year.

There were clearly some doubts about how Bong would handle the step up from the Championship. He was awarded only a one year contract in the summer and Markus Suttner was bought in from Ingolstadt to add competition to the left back spot but the two players have shared first team duties successfully while never looking out of place in the top flight.

The Cameroon defender has played 52 times for the Albion since joining from Wigan Athletic in the summer of 2015, helping the Seagulls to third and second placed finishes in the Championship as well as hopefully survival in the Premier League this time around.

His solid defending, love of getting forward, dreadlocks, regular visits to the Pizza Hut takeaway in Haywards Heath and the fact he is named after a drug taking device have all combined to make him a popular player among the Amex faithful.