Chelsea defender John Terry has insisted that he remains hopeful over reaching a new deal with the club with his current contract expiring this summer.
After it was indicated in January that the veteran wouldn’t be getting a new deal from the club, his future has remained uncertain as he has insisted that he wants to continue playing.
Having spent his whole career at Stamford Bridge, it would certainly be a shame to see him ply his trade elsewhere in the final few years of his time on the pitch, and so it is still hoped that an agreement can be reached.
Incoming boss Antonio Conte will have a big say in whether or not that happens, as it remains to be seen what the Italian does with the squad and if he wants to rely on the individuals who currently form the core of the side.
Terry, 35, has played over 700 games for Chelsea, and has insisted that his priority would be the Blues, but he isn’t likely to be short of options this summer.
“I’ve got a couple of years left. Definitely I intend to keep playing, hopefully that’s at Chelsea, but if not it will be somewhere else,” he told Soccer AM’s Boot Room.
“I am definitely feeling good physically and I intend to play as long as I can. As a professional footballer you’re a long time retired, so I think not only for myself but for all of us we should get the most out of it and enjoy it while it’s there.”
Conte will be expected to stamp his mark on the squad with a string of summer signings, and the centre of his defence could be an area that he prioritises his search with Terry, Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic all coming under scrutiny this season.
On the face of it, keeping Terry would be a smart move for the former Juventus boss. In what will be a difficult first year in England, he will benefit from having a leader and a player he can rely on in the dressing room to ease him through the transitional phase and that makes the decision over a new deal easy.