£150,000-a-week deal keeps John Terry at Chelsea until 2016

Mourinho praises 'top defender' who will have been at Stamford Bridge for 18 years when his new contract expires

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There'll be a spring in the step of John Terry this morning after he extended his stay at Chelsea, while a couple of youngsters are off on their travels to gain experience, as might the hottest property in French football at the end of this season.

You can't teach an old defender new tricks but you can offer him new deals, and that is what Chelsea have done to John Terry. A statement on their official website has announced that the veteran centre-back has extended his stay at Stamford Bridge until the end of the 2015/16 season. The 34-year-old Terry made his Blues debut in 1998 and has since made more 650 appearances, scoring a club record 63 goals for a defender. "Playing for this great club makes me so proud," said Terry on signing the deal. And manager Jose Mourinho was also delighted with the deal, saying: "This new contract is not to say 'thank you very much'. It is because John continues to perform. He is a top defender. I am happy that he completely deserves this new contract." It's believed the deal will earn Terry £150,000 a week, including bonuses.

At the other end of the age spectrum, Manchester United defender Reece James is being sent out on loan, according to the official Huddersfield Town website. The 21 year-old James made eight starts for Rotherham United in a previous loan spell earlier this season. That was after making his senior United debut in August in the League Cup, and the fact he recently signed a new deal with United proves Louis van Gaal believes he has a future at Old Trafford. Huddersfield Town Manager Chris Powell told the website: "Reece is comfortable at left back or in a more advanced wing back role, which suits our style perfectly. "

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Liverpool and Tottenham won't be pleased to hear that Inter boss Roberto Mancini has asked the club's directors "to go all out to sign" Alexandre Lacazette. According to [4] Talksport, the France international has sparked a scramble for his signature following his 23 goals for Lyon this season, and now Inter want a slice of the action. Spurs and Liverpool are known to be tailing the 23-year-old Lacazette, but Italian newspaper Corriere Dello Sport has it on good authority that Mancini has told Inter's board to break the bank in order to bag the French frontman who comes with a £20m price tag.

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Bill Mann is a football correspondent for The Week.co.uk, scouring the world's football press daily for the popular Transfer Talk column.