Where next for departing Chelsea captain John Terry?
After 713 matches as a player and a record 578 as captain, John Terry has announced he is leaving Chelsea, the club he joined as a 14-year-old.
Here, Press Association Sport assesses where the 36-year-old might go next:
CHINA
The current favoured location for ageing stars looking for a new adventure and a colossal pay day. As long-time skipper of the Blues, Terry already has a strong following in Asia and even embarked on his own ‘Captain China Tour’ in 2015. Two of Terry’s ex-managers are currently in charge of Chinese clubs, with Luiz Felipe Scolari at Guangzhou Evergrande and Sven-Goran Eriksson in the second tier with Shenzhen FC. He would join a cabal of former Chelsea men in the country, with Oscar, Ramires, John Obi Mikel, Oscar, Alexandre Pato and Ricardo Carvalho all signed up.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Terry’s former Blues team-mate Dan Petrescu is managing in the UAE with Al Nasr and the Romanian has suggested recently he would be keen to make his friend an offer. There is enough money in the league to make it a viable option, and a personal relationship with the boss cannot hurt. Al Nasr are based in Dubai, a destination Terry has been known to favour for holidays, so, despite the relative lack of profile, do not rule it out.
THE UNITED STATES
Frank Lampard: 'What a pleasure to play with the greatest defender in the Premier League's history.' pic.twitter.com/2TjQgC3HBZ — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 18, 2017
Terry revealed in an interview at the end of 2015 he could see ”maybe there is a time” when he would look to go to play in America, making Major League Soccer a possible destination. Several of his England contemporaries – Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard and David Beckham – crossed the Atlantic to close out their careers, and Terry would not want for suitors.
ELSEWHERE IN ENGLAND
Could John Terry appear against Chelsea next season? (Nick Potts/PA)
Whether or not Terry will consider a move to another English club at this stage of his career is an open question. His statement did not rule it out, but a strong suspicion remains that he will head for new shores when he hangs up his blue shirt. Bournemouth have been touted as the likeliest option, with Eddie Howe on the lookout for defensive reinforcements and Jack Wilshere’s loan move showing their ambition to move for big name players. West Ham appear the likeliest London club to throw their hat in the ring, should he wish to stay in the capital.
PORTUGAL
An Instagram post from February appeared to confirm Terry was learning Portuguese. Would one of the country’s bigger names – Benfica, Porto or Sporting Lisbon – be tempted to take him on, or might he look lower down the table if a coaching opportunity came into the bargain?
AUSTRALIA
22 years, 713 appearances, 66 goals, 14 major honours.
Our captain, leader, legend. pic.twitter.com/7SIYO5Jta8 — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 17, 2017
Terry led Chelsea in a glamour friendly against Sydney FC at ANZ Stadium, which attracted a crowd of some 83,598, in June 2015. There would certainly be plenty of interest in making Terry one of the A-League’s marquee players.