Janko stays to complete Salzburg 'mission'

On-fire Austrian striker Marc Janko said he was determined "to give something back" after scotching rumours linking him with a departure from FC Salzburg by signing a two-year contract extension, tying him to the club until summer 2013.

Continuity
The 25-year-old has attracted interest from across Europe after registering 30 goals in 20 Bundesliga appearances this term, a record that places him ahead of the pack in the race for the ESM Golden Shoe. Possible moves to England, among other nations, were mooted but the Austrian international has opted to stay put. "I feel this is a decisive moment in my career," said the 1.92m-tall Janko. "I need continuity and an environment in which I feel comfortable, where I can perform at my best. That is why I decided to extend my contract, despite several really good offers from other countries.

Incomplete mission
"My mission in Salzburg is not yet finished," he added. "I'm convinced we are in a good place at the moment and we have a bright future ahead of us. The club have always been on my side, throughout the bad times as well as good, and now it's time to give something back." Indeed, Janko has been beset by injuries at times since arriving from VfB Admira Wacker Mödling in summer 2005. Twenty-one games into the Austrian campaign and with Salzburg four points clear atop the Bundesliga table, life looks decidedly rosier.