BERLIN, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Elversberg has secured the long-term future of left-back Lasse Gunther after the 23-year-old signed an early two-year contract extension keeping him at the newly promoted Bundesliga club until 2030, the club announced on Thursday.

Gunther, who joined Elversberg from Augsburg last summer, had originally been under contract until June 2028 but has now committed for two additional seasons. The deal gives Elversberg clarity over a key player, who had been linked with Werder Bremen after quickly establishing himself as a regular following his move to Saarland.

He made 27 appearances in the second division last season and became one of the side's most reliable figures, combining defensive work with attacking thrust from the flank.

Gunther supplied eight assists, making him one of the league's more eye-catching defenders in that area, as Elversberg's sporting success carried them into the Bundesliga.

Before moving to Elversberg, the left-footed defender had gained second-tier experience on loan with Jahn Regensburg, Wehen Wiesbaden and Karlsruher SC, after coming through Bayern Munich's youth set-up and later joining Augsburg.

He also had a brief taste of Bundesliga football with Augsburg in the 2021-22 season, making five appearances, four from the bench.

Elversberg sporting director Christian Weber said the extension was a major step. "The extension with Lasse is of elementary importance for us," Weber said. "He has developed extremely well and is now on the radar of significantly bigger clubs. It was important for us as a club to create clarity and to get the player's commitment for further cooperation."

Weber added: "We managed to do that very early, so now we can look to the future together and tackle the tasks ahead of us."

Gunther said the decision reflected his belief in the club. "Many things fit together in Elversberg, not only the sporting success we experienced together last season, but also the team, the environment and the whole club give me a lot," he said. "It was important for me to make a decision with conviction, and that is why I am happy to continue this path with SVE."

Elversberg's first competitive fixture is scheduled for August 22, when the Bundesliga newcomer visits third-tier MSV Duisburg in the German Cup. ■