Chelsea captain John Terry will reportedly not be able to command a Designated Player contract with an MLS club this summer.
The 35-year-old will see his contract with Chelsea expire at the end of the season, with no suggestions that an agreement over a renewal is imminent.
Following his red card at the weekend, Terry has likely now played his last game for the Blues, even though some will still hold faint hopes of incoming boss Antonio Conte pushing for the veteran defender to stay when he arrives after Euro 2016.
Time is certainly running out for both parties though, which in turn is likely to result in Terry exploring his options. According to ESPN FC, preliminary discussions had taken place between MLS representatives and Terry’s team over the winter period, but nothing has happened since.
That is down to the fact that no MLS teams are interested in signing the defender at “Designated Player levels” which is what the former England international is holding out for.
The Designated Player tag essentially means that Terry’s wages wouldn’t count against any respective club’s salary cap, thus opening the door for him to receive a significant financial deal.
However, whether it’s through a combination of his age and position or other factors, many clubs will likely look elsewhere for a high-profile name and hope to add Terry to their roster without breaking the bank.
Terry will likely also be a target for clubs in China and the Middle East this summer, but it remains to be seen which option he chooses with his Premier League career all-but over.
Although he has proven this season that he still has plenty left to offer and would be a big addition to MLS as a whole next season, it would undoubtedly be a big, and perhaps risky, decision for a franchise to use up the Designated Player tag on a veteran defender.