John Terry finally is ready to leave Chelsea FC.
The longtime Chelsea captain and the club announced Monday in a joint statement that he’ll leave Stamford Bridge as a free agent after the 2016-17 season.
Having played sparingly this season, Terry, 36, has decided to spend his final years as a player at another club and end his 22-year tenure with Chelsea.
“I will decide on my future in due course, but for now I am committed to helping the team achieve success this season,” Terry said. “The club and I have always had a fantastic relationship, which will continue beyond my playing days. We had some really positive talks but with everything taken into careful consideration I have decided it’s the right time for me to leave.
“I’ve always been conscious that I depart at the right time, in the right way, and I feel that the end of this season is the right time for the club and I. I feel I still have plenty to offer on the pitch but understand that opportunities here at Chelsea will be limited for me. I’m eager to carry on playing and so will be looking to continue with a new challenge. I will of course always be a Blue and am desperate to end my final season as a Chelsea player with more silverware.”
Chelsea currently tops the Premier League standings with just six games remaining in the season. If Chelsea holds on, Terry will celebrate his fifth Premier League title next month. Terry also has helped Chelsea win five FA Cups, three Football League Cups, one UEFA Europa League and one UEFA Champions League.
Terry’s stats prove his status as a Chelsea and Premier League legend.
Terry, 36, is unlikely to play for another Premier League or European club. He has been linked with moves to Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy, Shanghai Shenhua of the Chinese Super League and UAE club Al Nasr in recent months.
Thumbnail photo via YouTube/Chelsea FC
