Gareth McAuley has signed a new one-year contract with West Bromwich Albion, the English Premier League club announced Monday.

The 35-year-old Northern Ireland defender's previous deal with the Midlands club was set to expire at the end of the month, but he has decided to stay with the Baggies for at least one more season.

McAuley had been linked with a move to Leicester, but Albion manager Tony Pulis has persuaded him to stay at The Hawthorns.

McAuley made 31 appearances last season as West Brom finished 13th in the Premier League after Pulis replaced Alan Irvine as manager in January.

He joined from Ipswich in 2011 and has played 138 games for Albion, scoring nine times.

McAuley also played in Northern Ireland's goalless Euro 2016 draw with Romania on Saturday.

"Hopefully we can produce something good next season," McAuley told West Brom's YouTube channel. "Hopefully more consistent than we have been over the last couple, aim high, aim for a better points tally than we've had previously or at least a top-half finish."