Chelsea midfield star Jorginho has demanded a wage rise of double his current contract, according to a report from Spanish outlet Diario Sport. The Italian international is said to be earning £5.5million, but with his deal expiring next summer, there are claims that he is eyeing a boost to £12million.
The 30-year-old has been an integral player for the Blues since moving to Stamford Bridge from Napoli in 2018 under then-manager Maurizio Sarri. Jorginho's style as a midfield metronome took time to settle in, but once he had, he developed into a key part of the squad in west London.
This culminated in a fantastic individual season for the midfielder in 2020/21, guiding Chelsea to a Champions League trophy and Italy to the European Championships. He earned plenty of recognition for his part in the team too, finishing third in the Ballon d'Or for 2021.
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However, his influence at the club has been challenged since, with the potential for a full rebuild in the midfield under new boss Graham Potter. With a contract expiration of next summer, it leaves part-owner and interim sporting director Todd Boehly with a dilemma to sort.
That's because it's not just Jorginho who is out of contract, but also France international N'Golo Kante, who has been another key player over the years, but injuries are starting to mount up for him. The rebuild could be costly and may take time in an area that has needed it.
Jorginho's contract demands come with that in mind, knowing the club will have to invest otherwise risk losing him, with plenty of other clubs - such as Juventus, Barcelona and AC Milan - all holding long-term interest in the 30-year-old.
Football.london understands that Jorginho remains happy at Chelsea but with each passing day, it looks more and more likely he will leave, despite the positive words coming from his agent, Joao Santos.
"Our priority is the renewal with Chelsea and the only club with I have spoken to in recent weeks is Chelsea," Santos said in a recent interview, via MilanNews.
It remains to be seen if Boehly will meet such demands or if his head will be turned elsewhere when it comes to the upcoming transfer markets.
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