‘It’s not going to be a fairytale, I’m not going to retire at Chelsea’
• Terry wants to continue playing but will not join another English side
John Terry has confirmed he is to leave Chelsea at the end of the season when his latest one-year contract expires at Stamford Bridge, drawing a line under a trophy-laden 18-year professional career at the Premier League champions.
The former England captain was informed the club would not be offering him a third 12-month extension at a meeting before last weekend’s win at Arsenal. The 35-year-old, capped 78 times, has claimed four Premier League titles, five FA Cups and three League Cups with the club, and has also won the Champions League and Europa League. While he intends to prolong his playing career beyond this campaign he will do so outside the Premier League. Lucrative offers for his services are likely to come from China, the Gulf or even the United States.
The one small caveat offered to Terry was the vague possibility the situation might change when a permanent successor is appointed to José Mourinho in the summer, though the centre-half has already resigned himself to this being the end of an era. “It’s not going to be a fairytale ending, I’m not going to retire at Chelsea,” he said after leading his team to a 5-1 FA Cup fourth round win at MK Dons. “I was in last week before the Arsenal game and it’s not going to be extended.
“They said that when the new manager comes in, things might change, but it’s a ‘no’ at the minute. I needed to know now, like I have done every January, and sometimes it takes a couple of months to get done.
“Unfortunately it was a ‘no’. I’m going to be playing out my career elsewhere which it took me a couple of days to get over. But, like I say, I knew before the Arsenal game and my performance isn’t going to change: the way I train, what I give for the club. I want to give everything and finish on a high, on 100% good terms with the club.”
Terry will follow Petr Cech, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba in leaving the club over recent years, together with Mourinho who was sacked for a second time in December, to signal that Chelsea are now clearly moving away from the most successful team in their history. The youth-team product, who moved to the club at 14 and made his debut in October 1998, has held initial talks over a potential future role back at Stamford Bridge, though that would be considered only once his playing career is over.
“We spoke about my legacy and coming back to the club when I finish, but the most important thing now is to get us up the league,” he said. “It’s my last run in the FA Cup so I want to make it a good one. It’s a big season for me and I want to push on – not just in this competition but in the Premier League as well. I knew before the Arsenal game so mentally I’ve kind of accepted it. We just have to move on and climb the table.”
The player sought to announce his departure post-match at Stadium MK with neither Guus Hiddink nor the club hierarchy having offered any comment in their media conference. He was apparently not offered any specific reasons behind the club’s decision. “No, we didn’t get into it,” he said. “I didn’t feel as though I was playing great in the first four or five games of the season, like everyone in the team, and the performances showed that. But since then myself and everyone else has picked up back to where we are. All I can do is keep my head down and plug on because it’ll be my last year at the club.
“The club will move on. No player is ever bigger than the club. Ideally, I would have loved to stay, but the club’s moving in a different direction. No doubt they’ll sign one or two great centre-backs. I want to come back as a Chelsea supporter in years to come with my kids and see the team doing really well. Unfortunately that’s not going to be with me, but I want to see the team do well. It’s going to be my last year and I want to go out at the top.”
Asked about the prospect of moving to another English club, Terry said: “No. I couldn’t do that to the Chelsea fans. I couldn’t play for another Premier League club. It will be elsewhere for sure. I don’t know where, and I leave that to the people in charge, but it certainly won’t be in the Premier League.
“My agent made the call like we do very January. He got told over the phone so I called to set up a meeting the following day. The club immediately set that up, which was great of them to do that. I wanted to hear it face to face. They told me. Unfortunately it’s not going to be. I feel as though I’m in great nick, I’m playing well and I’ve got a couple of years to go. It’ll just have to be elsewhere.”
Rumour Mongering: Real Madrid Winger Linked to Anfield Loan Move
Liverpool target available on loan, according to reports.
Liverpool's pursuit of Alex Teixeira has hit enough of a snag that rumour mongers have turned elsewhere for their last-gasp transfer reports. The newest Liverpool linkage is to a familiar target, as the Metro reports that Real Madrid's Denis Cheryshev will join Liverpool before the transfer window closes.
The 25-year-old winger was already thought to be on his way out the door at Real Madrid over the summer, but Liverpool failed to agree on a deal for him at that time. Now, after making just six appearances so far this season, his value is likely even lower than it was before and Liverpool could very well be looking to add him to the team to boost an inconsistent attack ahead of the stretch run of the season.
Hopes of adding Cheryshev have been boosted by the Mirror's report that he is available to leave on loan. A short-term loan move is ideal for all parties involved -- the winger can get much needed playing time ahead of Euro 2016 and Liverpool will have another attacking option to help out during a match-heavy couple of months.
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