MK Dons 1, Chelsea 5: Terry to leave Blues after contract snub
Iconic Chelsea captain John Terry has revealed that his illustrious 18-year Stamford Bridge career will come to an end this summer after the club decided against offering the former England skipper a new one-year deal.
The 35-year-old centre-half made the announcement after Chelsea eased into the FA Cup fifth round with a crushing 5-1 victory over Championship strugglers MK Dons yesterday. The Blues will face a home tie against Manchester City in the last 16.
While there is the suggestion that the situation could change depending on the viewpoint of Chelsea’s next permanent manager, Terry is set to become the latest player synonymous with the most successful period in the club’s history to depart west London.
“It’s not going to be a fairytale ending, I’m not going to retire at Chelsea,” said Terry, who has won four Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups, the Champions League and the Europa League while at Stamford Bridge.
“I was in last week before the Arsenal game and it’s not going to be extended. They said when the new manager comes in, things might change, but 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 took me a couple of days to get over but 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 with the club.”
Terry, who made his Chelsea debut in October 1998, also confirmed that he will look to prolong his playing career but will not follow in the footsteps of former team-mate Frank Lampard and represent another Premier League side.
“I couldn’t do that to the Chelsea fans. I couldn’t play for another Premier League club. It will be elsewhere for sure. I don’t know where, I leave that to the people in charge, but it certainly won’t be in the Premier League,” added Terry.
A first-half Oscar hat-trick, meanwhile, helped Chelsea dismantle MK Dons and canter into the fifth round of the FA Cup, while playmaker Eden Hazard ended his 31-game goal drought from the penalty spot and Bertrand Traore notched his first senior goal for the Blues.