James stays on new £25m mega-deal
CHELSEA have secured Reece James on a bumper five-and-a-half year deal worth up to £25million. James has been rewarded for making his Chelsea breakthrough with an improved contract that runs until 2025. He will earn a basic salary of £80,000 a week and is guaranteed £20m over the course of the deal. With bonuses, his weekly wage will rise to around £100,000 a week, so his camp have negotiated a deal which makes him one of the best-paid young defenders in world football. James, 20, starred on loan at Wigan last season and has now become part of Frank Lampard’s first team. He has made 18 appearances this term and would have made more if not for injury — particularly an ankle problem that delayed his senior debut until the end of September. James has followed in the footsteps of fellow academy graduates Callum Hudson-Odoi, Mason Mount, Ruben LoftusCheek, Fikayo Tomori and Billy Gilmour, who have also committed to Chelsea since Lampard’s appointment. Chelsea have been in discussions with striker Tammy Abraham over an extension to his deal, which expires in 2022. James, who joined Chelsea aged eight, said: ‘It has been my dream to be here at Chelsea and play week in, week out. ‘To have a contract for another five-and-a-half years is living the dream again. ‘This means a lot to me and a lot to my family. ‘There are a few of us playing in Chelsea’s first team now who have all come through the academy at the same time and that’s great. ‘It shows how well the academy brought us through and how well we are doing.’