John Terry has announced he will be leaving Chelsea at the end of the season. The player has spent 22 years with the club. Several Premier League sides are rumored to want to sign the experienced defender.
Chelsea has announced that former captain John Terry will depart the team at the end of the season. This puts on an end to speculation about the player’s futureat the club. Terry has found it difficult to earn playing time under Antonio Conte’s management of the team.
One of John Terry’s best for the Blues? pic.twitter.com/BjdkI5t8VF
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 19, 2017
If the 36 year-old is to continue his career, there are quite a few sides that are interested in his services. Swansea, Bournemouth, West Brom and West Ham were quickly rumored to take interest in the former England international. Terry has also been linked in the past to a move to the MLS. The U.S. league has been a favorite of aging football stars in recent years.
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic says there is no point in closing the door on the possibility of signing John Terry. “We’re going to see. I am a big admirer of John, one of the best that ever played not just in that position but whenever,” Bilic told reporters after the game against Everton.
“He’s won everything, done everything, we are talking about the England captain, a good leader and all that but we are pretty well covered in that position. But, never say never.”
Swansea‘s manager Paul Clement praised Terry and says he would relish the opportunity to work with the defender. “I would like to say, having worked with him, what a fantastic player he is and what a career he has had,” Clement said.
“He is a great talent and one of a dying breed of leaders. He has represented that club so well. Players are too quick to move on from club to club now but congratulations to him. If we stay up why wouldn’t we be interested? I know him well and would be more than happy to speak to him.
“That is not something I have thought about at this point, we have to focus on players and games we have got and when the season finishes we can talk about potential targets.”
However, Crystal Palace manager Sam Allardyce denied interest in Terry. The manager says he has all the players needed in that position. “I have got Scott Dann, James Tomkins, Mamadou Sakho, Damien Delaney and Martin Kelly, so actually in central defence we are looking pretty secure.”
“I’m not sure if that’s going to be a position we will look at if and when we are safe, and hopefully we are safe by the end of the season. But that position looks pretty healthy from the number of the players we have.”
“I’m not so sure that John, yes, fantastic player that he is, yes he would do us a great job, but with those amount of centre-halves at the club I can’t see that happening at the moment.”
