After the midweek defeat away to PSG in the UEFA Champions League round of 16, the mood around Chelsea has been pretty flat and downbeat. 

Particularly with the overall performance being strong, and avoidable individual mistakes stopping the team from going back to SW6 with a good - or at least better - result. 

However, there has been some news that will do a lot to lift the mood. Indeed, as it has been confirmed officially by the club that Reece James has committed his future to Chelsea with a new six year contract. 

The 26-year-old had a contract running until 2028, so it is clear that the club did not want him to enter the final two years of his deal this summer.  David Ornstein and others at The Athletic suggest that there will be a wage increase in line with the club's structure. 

It is stated that although James' last contract extension was under the current ownership group, his wages were still the same as in the previous era, and that will now be "rectified". 

Absolutely brilliant news. Although it felt highly improbable that the skipper would leave Stamford Bridge, it is great to have any slight doubt put to bed and to know he will be at the club long term. 

It looks as if - touch wood - his injury issues are now a thing of the past. This season, he has played 2430 minutes, more than he played in the 22/23 and 23/24 seasons combined, and we still have two months of the season remaining. 

The fans have sometimes vented their frustrations at the role James plays these days. More often than not, he either plays an inverted full back role, or as just simply a pure midfielder. 

Some want to see him play the high-flying, overlapping full-back role he played when he first broke through. However, whether we like it or not, it's the risky option. His hamstrings would not be able to deal with bombing down the flank every game, twice a week. 

These roles he plays now takes away a lot of physical strain. And it means that when he is required to get forward and overlap, he is much fresher and more physically capable to do so. 

In the Premier League this season, James has created seven big chances, a number that can only be matched by Nordi Mukiele of players in his position. On Wednesday evening, he put in a sublime cross for Joao Pedro that would have seen Chelsea take an early lead had it been converted. 

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