Bertrand pens five-year deal with Chelsea

Chelsea have confirmed that Ryan Bertrand has signed a new five-year deal with the club.

The left-back has been at the Blues since 2005, when he joined their academy from Gillingham, but did not make his debut until 2011 after five separate loan spells to the lower leagues.

The 23-year-old is seen as a long-term replacement for full-back Ashley Cole but has recently been given a more attacking role on the left-wing, a position he played in his biggest game for Chelsea – the Champions League final, and his European debut, against Bayern Munich.

Bertrand has now made 15 starts for the Stamford Bridge outfit, adding four more appearances from the substitutes’ bench, while playing a role in the club’s impressive start to this season’s Premier League.

The player’s form and continued selection saw him make Stuart Pearce’s Team GB Olympic squad for the London Games, before also being his England debut by Roy Hodgson in a friendly victory over Italy in August.

The Englishman has also now been called to the senior squad for the upcoming World Cup 2014 qualifiers with Moldova and Ukraine.

Bertrand had formerly represented the Three Lions across the youth age groups, and has since expressed his delight at making the step-up.