Cardiff City defender Matthew Connolly has signed a three-year contract extension with the club.

The 28-year-old arrived at the Bluebirds from Queens Park Rangers in 2012 and has since gone on to make nearly 100 appearances for the club, including helping them into the Premier League as Championship title winners in his debut season.

With the club currently under a transfer embargo, Connolly has opted to extend his stay in South Wales until the end of the 2018-19 season.

"I'm really pleased to have signed a new deal with the club and am confident that we can push on again. All of us, as players, believe that we have the ability to get back to the Premier League and that was definitely part of my thinking in signing this new deal," Connolly told Cardiff City Player.

"I've enjoyed promotions in recent years and that's what my focus is again in 2016. As a group, we're very determined to take the club forward. The club has done a great job in keeping our core together which is very important for long-term success. As players, we appreciate that.

"It's important that the fans get behind us as always for the remainder of the season and hopefully we can realise our ambitions together."

Cardiff currently sit ninth in the Championship table, five points from the playoff places ahead of Saturday's home match against Rotherham United.