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JOHN TERRY: THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

Captain, Leader, Legend – those are the three words that Chelsea fans will forever refer to when they describe John Terry. The Blues stalwart, who has featured for the club since 1998, played a pivotal role in their Premier League success last season and is likely to be heavily involved in the upcoming campaign despite Chelsea’s interest in John Stones.

While Stones’ arrival could signal the beginning of the end for Terry, the 34-year-old has got plenty to give and will be desperate to help the Blues retain their title. Jose Mourinho has always been a huge fan of Terry and it is difficult to imagine a Chelsea side without their instrumental leader in the starting line-up. After 18 seasons at the club, his time at Stamford Bridge is slowly coming to an end.

Excluding the 2012-13 Premier League campaign, Terry has missed just 20 matches in the past six seasons – an incredibly achievement. Terry’s longevity and consistency sets him apart from every defender to grace England’s top flight; both past and present. He is, without a doubt, the greatest centre-back to play in the Premier League and one of the best in Chelsea’s 110-year history.

Loved by Chelsea but loathed by others, Terry’s off-field antics have landed him in trouble on multiple occasions yet he still finds a way to focus all of his efforts on his football. While the jury may be out on Terry as a person, every football fan on the planet respects the 34-year-old for his dependability, reliability and passion at the heart of the defence.

Terry has defied the odds and, at 34 years old, remains in excellent physical shape. Last season, the Chelsea captain became the first outfield player since Gary Pallister to play every minute for a Premier League title winning side. While Pallister achieved the feat over a 42-game season, he was seven years Terry’s junior at the time – a statistic that confirms the magnitude of his performance.

As the Blues eye up a move for Stones, Terry’s role will still be important but his influence may be more prominent in the dressing room. England international Gary Cahill has been a regular alongside Terry in each of the past three seasons, while Kurt Zouma also produced some brilliant performances last season in Cahill’s absence.

Chelsea are stacked with talented defenders and age will eventually catch up with the veteran defender. Terry’s knowledge of the game will prove beneficial as the Blues enter a new era without ‘Mr Chelsea’ playing on a weekly basis and both Cahill and Zouma will benefit from their time with Terry.

However, he’s not finished yet. In fact, Terry is far from done. Mourinho knows the importance of big-game players and the 34-year-old is likely to play in Chelsea’s crucial matches this campaign. As Sir Alex Ferguson did with Ryan Giggs, the Blues boss will select Terry carefully and his leadership skills will come in handy in their huge Premier League clashes and titanic European fixtures.

John Terry has defied the odds in the past two seasons and the Chelsea captain will be keen to play a similar role as the Blues look to defend their crown. With over 450 Premier League appearances, Terry is a true legend of the English game and deserves his recognition as the greatest top flight defender of all-time. The captain was included in the 2014-15 PFA Team of the Season and, although his role is set to be limited this campaign, Terry will continue to have a positive impact on Chelsea until the day he retires. Captain, Leader, Legend – and it isn’t the end just yet.

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