LONDON, Aug 20, 2007 (AFP) - France international Claude Makelele has signed a one-year extension to his Chelsea contract, which will take him through until 2009.

The 34-year-old midfielder's current contract was due to expire at the end of this season after which he would have been free to join another club.

But the French World Cup finalist will stay in West London an extra year by which time he will be 36.

Makelele has won league titles in France and Spain with Nantes and Real Madrid respectively as well as the Champions League with the latter.

He joined Chelsea for 13.9million pounds from Real Madrid in 2003, shortly after Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the club and has been a key member of the club's successes since then winning the English league title in 2004 and 2005.