After Chelsea’s 5-1 win in the FA Cup fourth round at MK Dons, John Terry told the assembled media that he will leave Chelsea at the end of the season after the club have refused to offer him a new contract.
Terry admitted he would have ‘loved to stay’ but was told by club officials at a meeting before last weekend’s win at Arsenal that they would not be adding a one-year extension to his contract.
Terry wants to continue playing but promised he will not sign for another side in England, with offers likely to come in from China or the United States.
‘It’s not going to be a fairytale ending, I’m not going to retire at Chelsea,’ Terry confirmed.
‘I was in last week before the Arsenal game and it’s not going to be extended.
‘It’s my last run in the FA Cup so I want to make it a good one. It’s a big season for me and I want to push on – not just in this competition but in the Premier League as well.
I knew before the Arsenal game so mentally I’ve kind of accepted it. We just have to move on and climb the league.’
The Chelsea captain continued:
‘They said that when the new manager comes in, things might change. It’s a no at the minute.
‘I needed to know now like I have done every January and sometimes it takes a couple of months to get done. Unfortunately it was a no.
‘It’s going to be elsewhere which it took me a couple of days to get over.
‘But like I say, I knew before the Arsenal game and my performance isn’t going to change – the way I train, what I give for the club. I want to give everything and finish on a high, on 100 per cent good terms.’
Pretty clear cut then. The 35-year-old will not be offered a new deal as Blues owner Roman Abramovich clears house of the player power that reportedly resulted in several Chelsea managers being fired including Jose Mourinho this season.
But not so fast says Chelsea. While the current Premier League champions have confirmed they declined to offer Terry a new contract at a meeting requested by their captain, they say that no final decision has been made on whether to let him go.
“John requested a meeting with the club the week before last,” a Chelsea spokesman told ESPN FC. “In that meeting he asked about the possibility of an extension to his existing contract.
“John was advised that while no new deal was currently on the table, that situation could change in the coming months. The club has the utmost respect for John and everything he has helped us achieve to date.
“He is a fantastic servant of Chelsea Football Club and a superb captain and, as such, the club will keep the channels of dialogue open.”
So who is telling the truth here. Terry or Chelsea? Has a decision been made to let him go? If so, is it the right one?
