Aston Villa have signed former Chelsea and England captain John Terry in a one-year deal as was confirmed by the club’s chairman Tony Xia
According to a report by Aston Villa’s official website, John Terry has joined the club on a one-year deal after a remarkable 22-year career with Chelsea. Terry left Chelsea at the end of last season once his contract expired after being a part of their stunning Premier League victory.
The 36-year-old defender has won 78 caps for England, played 717 games for Chelsea and won his fifth Premier League title in May. However, he made only six starts last season and has chosen to drop down to the Championship club to clock in regular playing minutes.
Although Villa finished 13th in the Championship last season, Steve Bruce’s side are believed to be among the favourites to win an automatic promotion to the top flight in 2017-18. Terry will certainly be a quality addition to the team and boost their chances of securing a promotion to the top flight.
Terry has enjoyed a stellar career with the Blues wherein he was a key member as they picked up four Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups as well as the Champions League and Europa League. After making his debut back in 1998, Terry cemented his position in the club and also captained the London side on 578 occasions.
While a move to join a Championship club might seem odd for a player who was a part of a club like Chelsea, Terry seems to have taken a step in the right direction since the transfer seems to be more about his professional ambition rather than fame or money.
At Aston Villa, Terry will be up against the likes of Nathan Baker, Tommy Elphick and James Chester for a spot in their defence. Manager Steve Bruce is likely to consider either sticking with his usual formation and drop Nathan Baker or give the three-man back line a shot.
James Chester and Nathan Baker have formed a strong defensive partnership for Aston Villa, but Terry’s arrival is likely to disrupt that with Baker being the one who misses out. Chester has been strong and played regularly after joining from West Brom and will continue to play a central role.
If that does not work out, Bruce can also choose to deploy a 3-5-2 formation with the imposing figure of Terry set between the dependable combination of Chester and Baker.
Signing John Terry will definitely be one of the most defining moments of Steve Bruce’s career thus far with Aston Villa, and the former Chelsea man is likely to be a quality addition that aids them in sealing a Premier League spot.
