Chelsea working on new deals for stars

CHELSEA want to secure the futures of a host of key players once deals for centre-backs Andreas Christensen and Toni Rudiger are finalised.

The pair will become free agents next summer but N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are in the final two years of their contracts, while Mason Mount (right) is expected to be rewarded after establishing himself for club and country.

Christensen is closing in on a long-term deal worth around £120,000-a-week after reigniting his Stamford Bridge career under Thomas Tuchel.

The German has made it clear to chief Marina Granovskaia and director Petr Cech that the 25-year-old is a key part of his squad, despite doubts over whether he would make it as recently as last season.

Attempts to tie down Rudiger have not gone so smoothly, with the Germany international believed to be holding out for around £200,000 a week.

Tuchel admitted last week that talks with the 28-year-old had slowed. He is able to sign a pre-contract with foreign suitors from January, with Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid leading contenders for his signature and Bayern Munich monitoring his situation.

“I hope that they find solutions, but it’s not only between coaches and players, and what we wish for,” said Tuchel. “And that’s why it’s between the club and the player’s agent.

“He’s in the strongest league in Europe, in a big club, so not many reasons to change that. But in the end it’s between him and the club, and that’s in good hands.”

Chelsea want to avoid any uncertainty over Kante and Jorginho. There is less urgency over England international Mount — but he is expected to join the higher earners at the Bridge after developing into one of the superstars of European football since signing his last deal in 2019.

Chelsea have planned negotiations with Kante and Jorginho since the end of last season when they starred in the club’s Champions League run.

Jorginho’s agent has talked up a return to Italy after next year’s World Cup, but Chelsea plan to have his position resolved long before that and do not intend to have a repeat of the Rudiger situation. Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta, meanwhile, is out of contract next summer but is calm about securing an extension.