Marco Reus earns applause from teammates and Mario Gotze after contract renewal

Gotze was Reus’ team-mate at Dortmund before he left for Munich

Marco Reus has received a huge round of applause from his Borussia Dortmund team-mates after extending his contract for the club, according to coach Jurgen Klopp. The manager also believes that Dortmund can bounce back and salvage the season after a dreadful start.

Reus’ former team-mate Mario Gotze, who left Dortmund for bitter rivals Bayern Munich under similar circumstances in 2013, also welcomed Reus’ decision. He said, "As long as he is happy, everything is fine. I am happy for Marco - and it's good for Bundesliga, and it's also good for Borussia Dortmund."

Reus signed a new contract which ties him to the club until 2019 which eliminates his €25 million release clause, set to come in effect in the end of the season. The German has been linked with moving to a host of top clubs in the past.

The extension comes as a welcome news for the Bundesliga team, who are placed 16th in the league with 19 points from 20 games and is set for a tough relegation battle.

Klopp feels that Reus’ action "sends out a strong signal." He said, "I am delighted that he made a timely decision. In our current situation, that's good, and important for everyone involved."

"That Marco, just like me, is convinced that we can take care of our current difficulties, and I hope that you can tell on Friday evening [against Mainz] that everyone believes in a successful future", said the manager who has been under serious pressure after his team’s awful start to the season.

Reus, who opened the scoring in Dortmund’s 3-0 win against Freiburg, will be looking forward to building on the success as they play Mainz on Friday. Klopp said, "He seemed to be very relaxed, and in great spirits, and free. He received a round of applause in the dressing room. It would be nice if it were the same after the match on Friday."