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Chelsea will offer Reece James a new long-term deal this summer as the Blues look to tie down their best young prospects, due to the threat of their looming transfer embargo.
The Independent understands that talks are set to begin in the coming weeks with the club confident that James, who is seen as a natural successor to Cesar Azpilicueta , will commit his future.
The 19-year-old enjoyed a standout season on loan at Wigan this year before rejoining the first-team squad at Chelsea and made his debut in a friendly cameo against New England Revolution last week.
The England U20 international has three years remaining on his current contract, however, the Blues are keen to offer the versatile teenager improved terms and guarantees of first-team opportunities next season as they face the prospect of a two-window transfer ban.
Current reserve right-back Davide Zappacosta is set to depart in the summer.
Show all 26 1 /26Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Chelsea 2018/19 player ratings How did Chelsea's players perform this season? Ahead of their final match of the 2018/19 campaign, the Europa League final against Arsenal in Baku, we give each member of the Blues' squad a rating out of 10.
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Maurizio Sarri 7/10 A shortened pre-season as his arrival dragged on throughout the summer, Sarri hit the ground running, attempted to change a decade-long style and, eventually, provided invaluable minutes to academy graduates Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek - something the fanbase has craved for years. His stubbornness and lack of variety frustrated many, but eventually he adjusted, pushing City mightily close in the League Cup final and leading the Blues to third and the Europa League final. A satisfactory debut season under difficult circumstances
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Kepa Arrizabalaga 7/10 He arrived with the enormous weight and expectation from his price tag as the world's most expensive goalkeeper. Yet Kepa settled quickly, making very few mistakes and proving quietly productive with his feet. The incident at Wembley to not accept Maurizio Sarri's substitution vs Man City was regretful, yet he bounced back and was pivotal in ensuring the Blues won the shoot-out vs Frankfurt to reach the Europa League final. Still a long way to go to justify the price tag and prove Chelsea have a long-term solution, but he's made a decent start
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Willy Caballero 7/10 Handled the Kepa fiasco maturely and proved reliable when he stepped in, five clean sheets in eight appearances - about as solid as you can find as a No 2 without the realistic ambition to surpass the No 1
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Rob Green n/a No first team appearances, but seemingly slotted in to his role and proved likable in the dressing room. A send-off in Boston in the friendly vs New England Revolution was deserved
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Antonio Rudiger 8/10 Emerging as one of the top five centre-backs in the Premier League with little fanfare. Excellent at recovering, efficient with the ball and even able to stroll out from the back, a cornerstone for Chelsea moving forward. Cruelly denied
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Marcos Alonso 5/10 A season of regression with his place now under serious threat despite signing a new five-year deal. Productive nonetheless with four goals and seven assists, but a liability at times when defending
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Emerson 6/10 Has impressed Sarri enough to nudge Alonso out of the starting line-up at times, but is yet to fully lock down a starting role. Has at least proven to be decent competition and cover
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Cesar Azpilicueta 6/10 Has shown signs of decline but still a favourite under Sarri. Starting to show defensive fragility for almost the first time in his Chelsea career and when the side became predictable, his lack of penetration going forward became evident
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Davide Zappacosta 5/10 Has been an option late in games when Chelsea are chasing and can cross well from deep areas, but will surely be moved on this summer with Reece James and/or Ola Aina natural squad options
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Andreas Christensen 5/10 Has been frustrated at his lack of starts behind Luiz and Rudiger. Has filled in well to an extent when called upon though, but lacked consistency
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings David Luiz 7/10 Has been Sarri's mind on the pitch and key to the style transition. Very few defenders better with the ball at their feet and for that reason his extension has proven shrewd. Occasional lack of concentration, but that will not change at this stage of his career. One of the few leaders left at Chelsea and was pivotal in stopping this side fully unravel at times
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Gary Cahill 5/10 Harshly treated by Sarri, but not a fit for the way he wanted to play, will be fondly remembered after winning everything with the Blues and eventually received the send-off he deserved
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Jorginho 6/10 Started brilliantly to inspire a new style at the Bridge. But has been treated ridiculously by some Chelsea fans, who have bizarrely booed him at times this season. Responded well in the last few months and appears to have now settled, will play a vital role in the outcome in Baku
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings N'Golo Kante 7/10 Embraced his new, more adventurous role to the right of Jorginho. Added craft to his game and his energy was critical to Sarriball showing promising signs in year one. Injury is a concern ahead of Baku, but he seems set to recover in time
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Mateo Kovacic 6/10 Has not shone much, but always reliable in possession. Just lacks that cutting edge in the final third and has almost no production in terms of goals and assists despite the freedom of his role. Sarri remains a fan and they will try to sign him permanently
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Ethan Ampadu 6/10 The Blues youngster was part of the first team squad throughout the season and impressed in the Europa League: brave on the ball and demonstrating excellent positioning - hasn't played since suffering a back injury in February
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Ruben Loftus-Cheek 8/10 Flourished in the second half of the season to show real signs he can blossom into one of the game's best box-to-box midfielders, scoring 10 goals in the process. Cruelly injured before the Europa League final and will be out for many months with an Achilles injury
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Ross Barkley 6/10 Scored the late equaliser vs United and won his England place back, but rarely felt like a 'starter', doing little to justify leaving out Loftus-Cheek and Kovacic for long spells. Will need to step it up next season or he will likely be moved on
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Pedro 7/10 Scored 12 goals and made five assists. His strikes against Tottenham and Frankfurt proved especially important and with Gonzalo Higuain and Olivier Giroud blunting the Blues' attack, he has emerged as probably the best finisher in this squad, supporting the burden on Eden Hazard
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Gonzalo Higuain 5/10 Has not settled at all, looking slow and offering little outside his movement inside the area, he looks set to return to Turin this summer, even if the transfer ban is held
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Olivier Giroud 7/10 Unable to convince Sarri he was worth a permanent role to spearhead the side's attack, yet always proving useful when called upon, especially so in the Europa League, where he became the top scorer in the competition with 10 goals alongside Luka Jovic - deserved a longer run in the side in the league
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Alvaro Morata 4/10 Suffered a woeful spell of form and loss of confidence and eventually accepted a move to Atletico in January. Ends his Chelsea career with 24 goals in 72 appearances
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Callum Hudson-Odoi 7/10 He had to show great patience before a sustained run in the side came, but he justified the hype and showed himself to be worth of starts ahead of Pedro and Willian at times. Quick feet and a refreshing willingness to go on the outside and cross the ball - which would have helped Higuain and Giroud in the closing stages of the season. Will be forced to show more mental resolve to come back from an Achilles injury next season, with his future yet to be clarified entering the final year of his contract
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Willian 6/10 A frustrating presence in the side during Chelsea's predictable spell when sides began to work out Sarriball and also blocked Hudson-Odoi's opportunities at times. Still provides hard work and neat in possession, but rarely able to provide a cutting edge. Another player with an uncertain future and only one year remaining on his contract
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Chelsea 2018/19 season player ratings Eden Hazard 9/10 Outstanding at times and back to the form to suggest he is the best player in the Premier League, has done enough to earn his move to Real Madrid and will be sorely missed. Without him and his 19 goals and 16 assists, Chelsea would have surely fallen short of top four and been unable to compete with Man City in two of their three meetings
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A number of clubs have followed James over the course of his breakout season, including Manchester United, who tracked the teenager for a number of months, and a number of Bundesliga sides.
James enjoyed a breakout season on loan at Wigan
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He was selected in the Championship team of the year despite Wigan’s relegation struggle and featured in every league game, even wearing the captain’s armband on his final appearance.
James previously captained Chelsea’s all-conquering youth team, featuring Callum Hudson-Odoi and Jonathan Panzo, now of Monaco, to back-to-back U18 Premier League and FA Youth Cup titles.
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