James put pen to paper last Friday, extending her journey with the club that began at Under-10 level and continued when she joined as a professional in 2021.

Since returning to Chelsea, LJ has made over a century of appearances, won nine trophies and established herself as an England international. No wonder Bompastor is delighted to tie her down.

‘I've been having such fun with LJ in the squad, in training sessions, and in games,’ said the head coach.

‘It's so nice for a manager when you're at Chelsea to have a player with her quality. It's a strong signal for everyone to be able to keep a player like LJ for the future of the club.

‘It's great news and I'm really pleased for her, and also for the club. I'll be lucky to have LJ in my squad for the future, which is good news.'

The news Lauren had signed a new deal came just hours after her big brother Reece, captain of the men’s team, had done likewise. Blue blood runs through the siblings’ veins, and the dual confirmation of their contracts added extra gloss, according to Bompastor.

‘Both players are really special for the club and the club did the right thing announcing them on the same day. I know they celebrated by having their family around the club, which was a nice thing.

‘When you have an opportunity to play at the same club, at the highest level with your brother, it's something really special. Speaking with LJ about that, it means a lot to her, her brother, and to all the family. So it was very nice for Chelsea to achieve that.'

It felt inevitable that in her first game after signing a new contract, James produced an outstanding and decisive display.

The setting was a big one, too, the Women's League Cup final at Ashton Gate. The 24-year-old had already gone close to opening the scoring when she did just that with a clever disguised finish. It was the crucial first blow in a typically tight final, leaving Bompastor full of praise for her display.

‘She had a great game. Her contribution was crucial. She was the one who helped the team by scoring the first goal, she created some good opportunities, she worked really hard for the team as well. She showed a great performance.'

‘LJ is back to a really good level of fitness,’ added Bompastor.

‘I know when her fitness is good and she is away from injuries, she is one of the best footballers in the world, which I've mentioned multiple times. She is working hard to keep her fitness and perform at the highest level.’