Chelsea captain John Terry has not been offered a new contract and looks set to leave at the end of the season.
The 35-year-old defender, who joined the club at the age of 14, has won four Premier League titles, five FA Cups and the Champions League with the Blues.
“Ideally, I would have loved to stay, but the club’s moving in a different direction,” he said.
However, a club spokesman said later on Sunday that Terry could yet be offered a new deal.
Terry has played 696 times for Chelsea and hopes to continue his career, but not with another English club.
“I couldn’t play for another Premier League club,” said Terry. “It will be elsewhere for sure.
“I feel as though I’m in great nick, I’m playing great and I’ve got a couple of years to go.
“The club will move on. No player is ever bigger than the club. No doubt they’ll sign one or two great centre-backs.”
‘Channels of dialogue open’
Guus Hiddink, who replaced the sacked Jose Mourinho in December, is in charge of the Blues until the end of the season.
“They said that when the new manager comes in, things might change,” Terry said after Chelsea’s FA Cup win at MK Dons. “It’s a ‘no’ at the minute.”
Terry added: “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.”
However, Chelsea later suggested that Terry could be offered the chance to stay at Stamford Bridge.
“John was advised that while no new deal was currently on the table, that situation could change in the coming months,” said a Blues spokesman.
“The club has the utmost respect for John and everything he has helped us achieve to date.
“He is a fantastic servant of Chelsea and a superb captain. As such, the club will keep the channels of dialogue open.”
‘He deserves better’
Chris Sutton, who spent the 1999-2000 season with Chelsea, told BBC Radio 5 live that news of Terry’s possible de[parture was “disappointing”.
The former Blues striker added: “Clubs don’t show enough loyalty to players.
“John Terry’s been a tremendous servant, he’s been outstanding for the last 15 or 20 years for Chelsea and he deserves better.”
Former Chelsea defender Graeme Le Saux wants Terry to stay at the club, adding: “I think he still as a huge role to play.”
Match of the Day pundit Mark Lawrenson added: “For most of his career at Chelsea, anyone could play with him, he was that good.”
The former Liverpool defender thinks Terry “will jump across the Atlantic” to join former Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard at New York City FC.
A defender and a goalscorer
Only Ryan Giggs, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes have managed more games for a single club in the Premier League.
Terry has played 477 league games for Chelsea and became captain as the side embarked on their most successful spell.
He is also the highest-scoring defender in Premier League history with 40 goals.
Terry played every minute of Chelsea’s Premier League-winning campaign last season but found himself on the bench under Mourinho at the start of this term.
He was even substituted at half-time during a defeat at Manchester City in August.
Mourinho was eventually sacked – and replaced by Hiddink – as Chelsea suffered their worst start to a Premier League season.
credit: bbc
