We think we have identified the man who Sky Sports are lining up to replace Gary Neville.
It seems that the TV heavyweight is grooming Chelsea captain John Terry to replace the popular Manchester United legend, who left his position with the company to take over as manager of Valencia.
SEE MORE: Gary Neville Football Manager: Valencia appoint Man United legend
Terry has been a frequent visitor to the Sky studios in recent weeks. He covered United’s 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday Night Football, and played ‘Darts Ball’ with regular pundit Jamie Redknapp.
SEE MORE: John Terry shows Chelsea can still hit target with ‘Darts Ball’ win over ex-Liverpool star
But long-serving commentator Martin Tyler dropped the biggest hint over Terry’s Sky future yet by buttering up the 35-year-old while reporting on Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Leicester City on Monday.
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Now might be the perfect time for Terry to consider his next career move. His contract at Stamford Bridge expires next summer, and the London Evening Standard report that he won’t be offered another.
And yesterday’s sacking of Jose Mourinho makes it even more likely that Terry’s days at Chelsea, where he has spent his entire career aside from a six-game loan spell at Nottingham Forest, are numbered.
SEE MORE: Chelsea sack Jose Mourinho: Five leading contenders to replace him at Stamford Bridge
In a recent one-to-one with ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher for the Daily Mail – Sky again testing his chemistry with another of their top pundits – he hinted at a possible future in front of the camera.
He told the Daily Mail: “I don’t know at the minute. As you get older, you start to look down that route. I’m doing my coaching badges at the minute. I’m looking at TV. I’ve done some bits for Sky and BT.”
In the same interview, Terry ruled out playing for another English club, and hinted that he would be reluctant to uproot his family by following great friend Frank Lampard to America’s MLS.
The Daily Mail quotes him as saying: “I couldn’t even begin to think about being somewhere else or playing for someone else. Chelsea is my club. I’ve been here 20 years. No chance. America, maybe.
“But physically I feel like I can still play. Do I want to play? Of course I do. But then decisions come in to it with your family. What if you go somewhere and it doesn’t work out? Everything else comes into play.”
So, let’s summarise. Terry looks poised to leave Chelsea and has already dipped his toe into Sky punditry. He won’t play elsewhere in England and doesn’t want to unsettle his family. It all adds up!
Trust us. Terry will be added to the Sky Sports lineup, and it could happen as soon as next season.
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