It was a difficult moment for Terry to come out to the press and admit he might be leaving at the end of the season. Not being given a contract extension yet visibly bothered the captain and he seemed pretty sure about his departure even though the club still looks opened to discussions.
“Ideally, I would have loved to stay, but the club’s moving in a different direction. It’s not going to be a fairytale ending. I’m not going to retire at Chelsea, which it took me a couple of days to get over” Terry said. Visibly upset, the man who started with the Blues at age 14 and is closing in on the 700th game milestone and might still continue for one more year at Stamford Bridge. How will that happen? Here is what Hiddink had to say regarding JT:
“John is doing perfectly in his performances, so I’m not suggesting anything, but we spoke about things. He can carry on, of course. He’s fit. His ambition is enough to carry on. It was said by John and he’s entitled to make up his mind, that’s true, given his contract expires at the end of the season. But, on the other hand, the club still want to have the dialogue and to have an open door.
It was a bit surprising, but he’s entitled to do so. John’s statistics, not just that but also the view we have on him, I have on him: he’s very fit. He’s not what you normally see in a 35-year-old player, that you feel they are getting a bit slower. There is none of that for John. He is fit and performing as he has been while I’ve been here.”
This reaction came after fans expressed their disappointment with the fact that Terry was not offered a new contract yet. Even if a new manager will take over, it is hard to imagine JT to being retained by the Blues. A new one-year deal could still be completed at the end of the season after a new manager is appointed.
According to the Daily Mail, there are many, many fans who want Chelsea to sign Terry for one more year. Sure, he had a poor start this season but who didn’t? He is in tune with the team and has been in solid and reliable form lately. Terry is a club legend and even if he ends up playing just a couple of games next season he would be great to have around Stamford Bridge.