John Terry, who was believed to be on his way out of Chelsea, could end up staying at the club after reportedly cancelling his ‘personal farewell match’ that was scheduled to be held at Stamford Bridge.
Terry’s contract saga has been ongoing since the middle of the recently concluded 2015/16 campaign, with the Chelsea captain claiming back in January that this might be his last season with his boyhood club.
The 35-year-old has lucrative offers from China, with Shanghai SIPG (managed by Sven-Goran Eriksson) and Jiangsu Suning keen to add the hugely popular defender to their ranks.
However, Terry confirmed Chelsea’s contract renewal offer, saying that he needed time to think about whether or not to accept a ‘different role’ at the club. Recent reports suggest that Terry is taking his time to consider the new deal as it involves a significant pay cut.
While the former England captain currently earns around £6 million per year, his new contract halves his wages down to £3 million. Meanwhile, the deals offered to him by the two Chinese Super League clubs are said to be worth around £20 million for a two-year contract.
In a new development, a recent report in the Guardian suggested that Terry has cancelled a private event at Stamford Bridge that was billed as his unofficial farewell. Terry had reportedly booked the pitch and the dressing rooms at Chelsea’s home ground in order to have a kick about with a few close friends.
The cancellation of this event has fuelled rumours that the Chelsea captain might be close to signing the new deal that Chelsea have offered him.
John Terry: Captain, Leader, Legend…Coach?
When Terry suggested that Chelsea have “a different role” for him at the club, one of the first thoughts that crosses one’s mind is whether the Blues hierarchy want him as a coach under incoming manager Antonio Conte. These rumours have been given all the more credence with reports claiming that Terry is set to resume his UEFA B license course next week.
Making Terry an apprentice to a great tactician like Conte could be beneficial for both the club and the player. Chelsea have always had an issue with keeping a long term manager at the club. Even fan favourite Jose Mourinho lasted a little more than two seasons in his second spell at the club.
Being a well respected figure at Chelsea, Terry could possibly be a long term manager at the club if he learns his trade well from Conte — just like current Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane learnt a lot from his stint as coach under various world class managers at the Santiago Bernabeu.
