Chelsea defender Matt Miazga has revealed that he has been learning from John Terry this season, with a view of potentially becoming his successor in the heart of the side’s defence.
The 20-year-old made his debut in the 4-0 win over Aston Villa last weekend, playing in place of Terry and Gary Cahill with the duo absent due to injury.
As he continues to fight to prove that he can be an influential figure in Chelsea’s long term plans, he has revealed that he’s been picking up good habits from working with the likes of Terry and Cahill in training on a daily basis.
While Terry’s future at Stamford Bridge is uncertain given that his contract is set to expire this summer with no suggestion that a renewal will be offered as of yet, as reported by The Guardian, the 35-year-old could be imparting his wisdom on his younger teammate with a view of helping him fill his shoes when he leaves.
“The most important thing I’ve learned is the professionalism they have on and off the pitch. How they conduct themselves, how they make sure their bodies are always ready,” he told ESPN FC.
“I’ve seen John always training in the gym, keeping his body fit. The way he takes care of his body as an older player — you’ve just got to develop those habits.
“Also on the pitch, the positioning they have. John’s played over 700 games and you can see the little things he does, positioning his body to deal with crosses and reading plays. If I ever have questions I ask and he’s always willing to answer, so it’s been good.
Miazga went on to insist that he still places importance on being his own player, but it would be nonsensical for him to ignore the chance to pick up things from Terry and learn from him given his reputation of being one of the top defenders in recent times.
Much will now depend on Antonio Conte’s plans this summer, with the Italian tactician set to arrive in west London after Euro 2016.
While there is still a possibility that he could try to reach an agreement with Terry to stay on, he could look to the transfer market to fill the gap. However, Miazga will be focused on proving that neither are required if he can keep his place in the side and continue to improve in the final few weeks of this season.