Chelsea are reportedly preparing to hand new contracts to Reece James and Mason Mount.
For a number of months this year, the Premier League giants were unable to negotiate fresh terms with many of their key players due to sanctions imposed on the club by the British government.
However, now that a consortium lead by Todd Boehly have taken over from Roman Abramovich, there is a desire to sign new players and resolve any lingering issues with regards to their star men.
That particularly rings true with James and Mount, it not going unnoticed that the pair are either into the final two years of their deal or are on wages well below what would be expected for players of their status.
With both players coming through the academy system and being Chelsea fans, there has not necessarily been any fears that they may be tempted into a transfer elsewhere.
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Nevertheless, according to the Evening Standard, the homegrown duo are at the top of the list with regards to contract negotiations.
The report says that Boehly and the Chelsea directors want to reward consistent performances, introducing a wage structure that will provide extra incentives.
James and Mount had already been in line for wage increases, but the proposed system will see them rewarded further if they continue their rate of progression.
Boehly, who is also acting as the club's interim sporting director, may also have felt like he needed to act given the wages which have allegedly been given to new arrivals Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly.
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Sterling is said to now be earning in excess of £300,000 per week having ended his time at Manchester City to return to England's capital.
Since a loan period with Wigan Athletic during the early stages of his career, James has established himself as a key part of the first-team squad.
The 22-year-old has contributed nine goals and 18 assists from his 123 appearances in all competitions, with half of his assists coming in the Premier League during 2021-22.
Meanwhile, Mount, a year older than James, has contributed 30 goals and 31 assists from his 159 outings since a productive temporary stint in the Championship with Derby County.
Darren Plant
