John Terry hopes to sign new Chelsea contract and has no complaints with Antonio Conte over lack of playing time

366 | The number of minutes that John Terry has played out of a possible 1,170 in the league for Chelsea this season
Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Simon Johnson28 November 2016

John Terry has not given up hope of signing a new deal with Chelsea which will keep him at the club beyond the end of the season.

Terry’s current contract expires in the summer and the centre-half, who turns 36 next month, is facing a real battle to earn another extension.

Chelsea left it to the very end of the last campaign before offering the former England international fresh terms.

The Blues are looking to buy more central defenders in January and next summer but Terry, who is currently sidelined with a muscle injury, still believes he has a lot to offer.

Terry is being targeted by teams in China, Turkey and the United States and he will be able to start negotiating with foreign clubs in January.

However, he wants to leave a decision over his future as long as possible and said: “I still want to play for a couple more years, whether that is here at Chelsea or somewhere abroad, I don’t know. It’s an option.

“I am contracted to Chelsea for this season and then will see after that. I’m doing my coaching badges. I don’t know if I want to be a coach but I want to do my badges and pass.”

Terry has revealed that his desire to win the Premier League is one of the biggest reasons why he is not ready to give up on his Chelsea career, which has lasted 21 years. Chelsea, who are top of the table, finished 10th last term as Leicester clinched the crown.

John Terry's career in pictures

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Terry has won the Premier League title four times in his career but is desperate for another success. He added: “When I see other teams win it, it makes me feel angry, it makes me feel sick, you feel like you have let everyone down.

“I am where I am today because of that hunger. There were better players when I was younger but I wanted it more. It’s still there today, at the age of 35. You miss that feeling of being the champion, being the best. Nothing can ever replace that.

“As a player, at the end of the season, when you see another team win it, I can’t even watch it, it hurts.

“This is why I still want to carry on playing because that hunger is still there to be the best to win trophies for my football club. I have been at Chelsea for a long time and want to give the fans something to cheer about at the end of the season.”

Terry faces a battle to get back in the side, having not started a League game since injuring his ankle in September.

Even after Terry recovered, coach Antonio Conte kept faith with Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz and Gary Cahill at the back in the 3-4-3 formation he introduced two months ago.

Terry insists he has no complaints about being kept on the sidelines, with Chelsea currently on a seven-game winning streak in all competitions, and won’t demand to be reinstated into the first team.

Speaking to SFR Sport, he said: “It helps when you have a manager who is very honest. He used to be a player, so he knows.

“The manager has been straight with me, like he was when I met him in the summer, and he said: ‘If you’re good enough, you’ll play’.

“At the minute, I’m not even asking the question because I know the answer. The team are playing so well, you know that you’re not going to get back in the team.

“I have a responsibility as captain and as someone paid by Chelsea to train as well as I can and give everything to the football club.

“If I’m playing, fantastic. If I’m not, my attitude has never been one to sulk. That’s not my character and the club know that.

“In the nicest way I hope I don’t get back in because it means we are carrying on winning matches.

“Maybe I’d feel differently if I was aged 19, 21, 23 and I think that maturity comes when you’re closer to the end of your career.”

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