Chelsea tie down another of their young stars as defender Reece James pens a five-year deal worth £25MILLION

Chelsea have tied down Reece James on a new deal worth almost £25m that runs until 2025.

James has been rewarded for making his Chelsea breakthrough with the new five-year contract that is worth in the region of £100,000-per-week.

Defender James, 20, starred at Wigan last season and has built on that by becoming a part of Frank Lampard's first team this term.

Chelsea youngster Reece James (pictured with director Marina Granovskaia) has signed a new contract that runs until the summer of 2025 and is worth nearly £25million

Chelsea youngster Reece James has signed a new contract that runs until the summer of 2025

‘Reece started his football education with us at the age of six and his performances on loan at Wigan last season paved the way for a strong beginning to his career in the Chelsea team. We are very pleased he now has the perfect opportunity to build on that and become a major player for us for many years to come.’

James has made 18 appearances this term and would have made more were it not for injury, particularly an ankle problem that delayed his senior debut until the end of September, when he scored in Chelsea's 7-1 Carabao Cup hammering of Grimsby.

James has produced some impressive displays for Chelsea during his breakthrough season

James has followed in the footsteps of fellow academy graduates Callum Hudson-Odoi, Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fikayo Tomori and Billy Gilmour, who have also committed their futures to Chelsea since Lampard's appointment.

Chelsea have also been in discussions with striker Tammy Abraham over an extension to his deal which expires in 2022.