Fulham defender Brede Hangeland has ended speculation surrounding his future by agreeing a lucrative new deal to stay at Craven Cottage.

The 28-year-old Norway captain has established himself as one of the finest defenders in the Premier League since arriving in West London from FC Copenhagen in a £2.5million deal in January 2008.

His impressive and consistent performances last season caught the eye of a number of top clubs with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger confirming his admiration of the 6ft 5in stopper, while Manchester City were also linked.

But after protracted negotiations which have been going on for months, Fulham are understood to have reached an agreement in principle with the towering Norwegian and his representative.

According to skysports.com only minor details need to be resolved before the deal is rubberstamped and Hangeland is expected to put pen-to-paper in the near future.

The news will provide a massive boost to Cottagers boss Roy Hodgson as he looks to build on his side's achievements of qualifying for Europe last season and claiming their highest league finish of seventh.