John Terry can expect a sizeable collection of Christmas presents from teammates this year because it seems his Chelsea colleagues are going to cash in on the back of his record new contract.Just two days after Terry signed up to a five year deal, now believed to be worth £170,000-a-week, full-back Ashley Cole has penned a whopping new agreement.
His contract is worth in the region of £120,00-a-week, and other players will be licking their lips at the prospect of negotiations with chief executive Peter Kenyon when their time comes.
Terry seems to carry so much weight at Stamford Bridge that the board will do anything to ensure they keep their star player happy - and that includes giving his mates a healthy cash incentive to remain in west London.
Before signing his new deal, Terry seeked assurances from club bosses that key players would be given extensions to contracts. And that is what the club have spent the summer focusing on - rather than new signings.
Don't be surprised to see photographs of Cole giving his close pal a big hug while they are on England duty this week, as he will certainly have been one of the men Terry wants to see Chelsea hold on to.
Owner Roman Abramovich is the cash provider at the Bridge. Kenyon gets on with the wheeling and dealing. Manager Carlo Ancelotti is the tactician. But Terry is the driving force behind their ambition.
Joe Cole should cosy up to the Chelsea defender over the next few weeks, because he is next in line to renogotiate a new deal at the club. After that, German Michael Ballack will be due talks next summer as his contract expires in 2010, and French ace Nicolas Anelka sees his deal end the following season.
It will be interesting to see how their discussions pan out - because if Terry wants them to stay then you can be sure the money men will do all within their power to ensure it happens.
