Wing Tom Varndell has signed a new contract with Guinness Premiership champions Leicester.

England international Varndell joins the likes of Martin Corry, Martin Castrogiovanni and George Chuter, who have also agreed fresh deals with the Tigers this season.

Varndell said: “I am very happy to be staying at the club. It is still regarded as one of the best clubs in the country, if not Europe. With the fan base and the following that we have, it is an amazing club to be a part of and I am very happy to be extending my contract.”

Tigers head coach Marcelo Loffreda added: “We are really happy that Tom Varndell has signed. He is a very accomplished player, he is a skilful player and he has been working very hard on his game. He is potentially one of the best players in his position in the country.”

Meanwhile Loffreda has admitted he is doing his best to keep his job despite rumours suggesting he could be dismissed.

The 28-25 defeat at Newcastle Falcons on Sunday put the Tigers in a difficult position ahead of the Guinness Premiership play-offs and speculation grew about his future.

However, the former Argentina boss told Argentinian newspaper La Nacion that he wants to stay: “I want to do my best to remain at the club, but decision is not mine of course.

“A lot of people say a lot of things in this club. Defeats are almost forbidden. I’m not thinking about any other thing than to continue my contract.

“If the board think another thing, it’s all a matter of them. The team still have one opportunity and I will keep working very hard. I can avoid media rumours.”

Loffreda said he would not accept being demoted to a lower position in the coaching staff.

“I will not leave the head coach position. I was training backs because there is not any special coach for them in the staff,” he said.

“I asked for a person to help me do that and the board are searching for them.”

Loffreda, who took over this season after guiding the Pumas to a historic third place in the last year’s World Cup, does not regret deciding to move to England.

He said: “I’m satisfied because I got involved in a completely different world. The head coach position is very demanding. I’ve been working here for more than five months and there were a lot of changes, injuries that made the team inconsistent.”