Brentford defender Harlee Dean has signed a two-year extension to his contract.

The 24-year-old had appeared to be leaving the club at the end of the season, however there was a change of heart at the top of the club.

And he has been able to thrash out an extension with the club to extend his stay until June 2018.

Head coach Dean Smith told the club's official website: “I am really pleased that Harlee Dean has committed himself to the club.

“It gives us all a great boost as he has been an integral part of the success on the playing field over the last couple of years.

“We can all forget very quickly that he is still a young player who has further scope for improvement and he has shown that he wants to develop further both as a player and as a leader.

“I am looking forward to working with him for the foreseeable future.”

Brentford's Harlee Dean

The central defender initially joined Brentford on loan from Southampton in November 2011, signing permanently at the end of that season.

To date, the defender has played 184 games for the club and has been on the scoresheet seven times but has not found the net since the 2-1 win over Fulham in November 2014.

Co-Director of Football Phil Giles added: "Negotiations with Harlee have been ongoing for a while, but always there was a desire from both Harlee and the Club to find a contract that worked for all parties.

“I'm delighted that we have now been able to finalise an agreement and can look forward to seeing Harlee continuing to give his all for Brentford, as he has always done."