With the news that Reece James has signed a contract extension, Chelsea fans can breathe a sigh of relief, safe in the knowledge that they have secured the services of an elite right-back for at least the next six years. James, who has been with the club since the age of six, signed a bumper new deal that will reportedly see him earn £250,000 a week, with the full-back becoming a staple of Thomas Tuchel’s side since his appointment in January 2021.
Rising through the ranks at Cobham is certainly not straightforward, with the majority of promising stars not making the cut when it comes to the first team, so it is testament to James that he has solidified his spot at right-back when there is so much competition for places. At just 22 years old, there’s so much potential in the England international, who will be looking to establish himself in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup plans ahead of the tournament in Qatar later this year.
“I am over the moon with my new contract and I’m thankful for the fans, the new ownership and everyone involved in the club.” he said. “I cannot wait to see what the future holds, and I am sure we will have the chance of winning many trophies.
“I grew up supporting this club and I’ve been here since I was a six-year-old. I put pen to paper on a new deal because this is the club I want to be at. I’d like to say a special thanks to the fans, I am here to stay and we have a bright future ahead of us.”
A rare commodity for a right-back in today’s game, James possesses great technical ability in the final third, whilst still maintaining the defensive commitment needed to cope with the Premier League’s tricky wingers. The way he can overlap with powerful running is a big asset to Tuchel, and with 14 goal contributions last season, it’s little surprise the German rates him so highly.
While it was Frank Lampard that promoted him to the starting 11, alongside fellow academy graduates Fikayo Tomori and Tammy Abraham who have both since left the club, James has blossomed under Tuchel, and has been rewarded with plenty of trophies. Together, the duo captured the Champions League despite their underdog status for most placing a bet on football at skybet.com as they beat Manchester City in Portugal where James played a vital role.
Although the Premier League has eluded the Blues thus far, James and co. have also captured the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup, whilst also reaching the FA Cup final three consecutive times, coming up short to Arsenal, Leicester City and Liverpool respectively. However, the additions of Raheem Sterling, Marc Cucurella, Kalidou Koulibaly and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have made Chelsea genuine title contenders again, if they can show the consistency that they lacked in the league last term.
Indeed, it’s telling of the importance of James, and fellow full-back Ben Chilwell for that matter, that when both players were injured, Chelsea’s grasp of the title began to wane. Some underwhelming results during a congested festive season meant their bright start to the campaign was wiped out. This time around, under new ownership and with new faces, you wonder how far Chelsea can go and if they can indeed put a stop to the duopoly of Manchester City and Liverpool to earn a seventh league title.
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