Chelsea star Reece James agrees new five-year deal as England ace more than DOUBLES salary to £250,000-per-week

REECE JAMES has signed a new deal at Chelsea which will see him more than DOUBLE his previous wages.

The Chelsea star is a cornerstone member of the team and has been rewarded for his performances with a new deal - as confirmed by a statement on .

SunSport previously revealed James was on the lower end of the Chelsea wage structure at £100,000 per week.

But now he will more than double his previous wages to £250k per week with a new five-year deal.

In addition, his new contract will make him the highest-earning defender in the club's history.

On the deal, Chelsea's club statement said: "Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce Reece James has signed a new five-year contract.

"A Cobham graduate who first trained with us at the age of six, James has emerged as one of the best young players in the game... and having now committed to the club until 2027, Blues fans can enjoy James’ prodigious talent for many more years to come."

According to the , new owner Todd Boehly wants to implement an American-style contract policy for players under 25, tieing them down to contracts for as many as seven years.

This new policy has already been enacted on the likes of academy prospect Armando Broja, who penned a new six-year deal with The Blues.

On the James deal, Boehly added: "We are thrilled to give Reece a new long-term contract at Chelsea.

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"He is an outstanding player and a true Chelsea man, and we are all looking forward to watching him continue to flourish at Stamford Bridge."

James has started all but one of Chelsea's games this season, with the one game he missed being the club's 2-1 defeat to Southampton.

The 22-year-old, who can play as either a centre-half or at right wing-back, has had a direct hand in 16 Premier League goals since the start of last season - more than any other defender.

On his new deal, James said: " 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.

"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."

Thomas Tuchel's side have started the season in rocky form despite splashing nearly £300million on new players over the summer.

Thus far, they have picked up three wins, two defeats, and a draw and sit sixth in the table.

However, the nature of their latest win drew widespread criticism of the quality of officiating in English football, after a late West Ham equaliser was controversially ruled out.