Everton have taken up the option on full-back Nuno Valente's contract to keep him at Goodison Park for a further year.
Despite being unlucky with a string of injuries - he is currently sidelined with a calf problem - Valente has impressed at the Barclays Premiership club and manager David Moyes will now retain the 32-year-old until the summer of 2008.
Valente originally signed a two-year deal in August 2005, with the option of a further 12 months, when he joined from Porto.
Moyes told official club website www.evertonfc.com: “We have now decided to trigger that extra year.”
Valente has made 43 appearance for Everton and has earned 27 caps for Portugal, and was an integral member of the side that reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in Germany last summer.
The news of Valente’s extended stay comes 24 hours after Everton agree to pay Manchester United an undisclosed fee for goalkeeper Tim Howard when his season-long loan ends in the summer.
Howard found himself forced into the background at Old Trafford and is now ready for a new phase in his career.
“The time was right to do this,” he said.
“The Manchester United chapter is over and now I have a new one just beginning.
"I am happy that it is all done and I can look to the future. I have been doing that anyway. But it's really nice to just get my head down and know that it is sorted, and we can keep going forward.
"It is a fantastic club. Obviously Manchester United is a wonderful club too. It just happened that the time was right to do this. I am delighted."
Howard is looking forward to a successful era with the Toffees.
"Now we want to win every game - you do not always achieve that, but as long as I and the team and battling together then the fans will be happy," he said.
"There were a lot of reasons that I wanted to come to Everton and get my future sorted out, and one of those was the players who are at Goodison Park.
"They have welcomed me so well, and I hope I can respond now with this new chapter in my life."
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