John Terry is set to leave Stamford Bridge this summer despite admitting he still wants to play for at least one more year. It is understandable that he wants to play elsewhere though as his age seems to be catching up with somewhat now. It is very frustrating to be used to a certain level and then end up struggling to maintain the same pace once you get over 33-34 years of age. Aside from the fact that the Blues will lose one of the best defenders in the world, they will also lose something that nowadays sounds impossible to find. The club will lose a personality, a kind of character, a type of player that rarely exists these days. Terry’s name is synonymous with Chelsea just as that of Casillas was with Real, Gerrard was for Liverpool or Tony Adams was for Arsenal. While now you may see Ronaldo or Messi as stand-out characters, they are not the same type of leader as JT even though they are embodying the clubs they represent.
Some media outlets have suggested that Hazard could be the one to take over from JT. According to The Guardian, the Belgium international is not sure he will spend his entire career at Stamford Bridge. In his recent statements, he even hinted towards the fact that he will leave after Chelsea win the Champions League and the PL title. The only one in the lot who could be entitled to captain a club like Chelsea is Gary Cahill. He has the spirit, the attitude and the right nature to lead a team.
In terms of skill, it might be a bit easier to find a replacement for Terry than you would when it comes to leadership. Apparently, the current lot is more than capable of filing the gap. Even so, Conte is considering bringing back Andreas Christensen whose loan contract expires in June 2017. If he comes back, things should be pretty tight defensive wise. The Denmark international is expected back right after John Terry leaves when he likely departs for either Asia or the U.S. Sadly JT remains sidelined for the minute as his recent buttock injury will likely keep him out for another couple of weeks and he will be itching to get back on the field after missing a lot of time this season already.