Kyle Bartley signs new long-term Swansea City contract despite Leeds United interest

Leeds United's hopes of re-signing Swansea City defender Kyle Bartley are over after the former Arsenal trainee signed a new four-year contract with Paul Clement's side.

Bartley, 26, enjoyed an impressive season-long loan at Elland Road last season as Leeds just missed out on the play-offs under now Middlesbrough boss Garry Monk. The Whites were hopeful of luring the former Rangers loanee back to Yorkshire on a permanent basis, according to WalesOnline, but Swansea boss Paul Clement believes he has a part to play in south Wales.

Bartley will now battle with Alfie Mawson, Federico Fernandez and Mike van der Hoorn for a starting spot at Swansea and is determined to ensure that his decision to remain under the thumb of Clement and resist the advances of Leeds was the right one.

"Personally the main reason for me wanting to sign a new deal was that I feel I have a lot to prove at the club," Bartley told Swansea's official website. "I gained a lot more confidence and experience from my loan spell last season. I feel a better person and a better player.

"I want to be able to express that on the pitch and fight for a first-team place."

Clement seems to have been impressed by Bartley ahead of the new season and believes the former Bolton Wanderers academy product provides a different set of qualities when compared to the other centre-halves at his disposal.

"I like Kyle a lot," Clement said. "He is a player with good leadership qualities. He had a good season last year with Leeds and he has come back here with confidence.

"He gives us another dimension in terms of the central defenders we have. He is very strong in both penalty areas and he has good communication skills within the group. I am very glad to have him here."

Leeds have already recruited a central defender from the Premier League season, with Everton's Matthew Pennington arriving on a season-long loan. The 22-year-old enjoyed a bright start to life under Thomas Christiansen but suffered an ankle injury during Leeds' 3-2 win over Bolton on Sunday (6 August).

Christiansen's men are not yet aware of the extent of the injury suffered by Pennington but Leeds did see fit to bolster their backline further this week, with Cameron Borthwick-Jackson becoming their twelfth summer signing after arriving from Manchester United on a season-long loan.

Bristol City's Aden Flint is also believed to be a target for Leeds, but Lee Johnson's are determined to keep their much-admired defender and rejected a 'derisory' bid for the 28-year-old from Birmingham City earlier this week, according to Somerset Live.