John Terry will leave Chelsea at the end of the season, after making 713 appearances for the club.
Chelsea and John Terry announced Monday morning that Terry’s 22 years with the club will conclude at season’s end.
“I would like to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for the unbelievable support you’ve shown me over the years,” Terry said, via Chelsea’s official website. “I will never forget the incredible journey we’ve been on. Thank you so much for everything.”
Roman Abramovich surprised the captain with a one-year contract following the 2015-16 campaign. With his newest contract set to expire at the end of the season, the club did not prioritizing re-signing the 36-year old.
Dubbed “captain, leader, legend” by the Chelsea faithful, Terry joined the club at the young age of 14. Since making his first team debut in 1998, JT has made 713 first team appearances with the Blues.
Additionally, Terry has worn the captain’s armband an astonishing 578 times in an array of competitions.
In his 19 seasons with the first team, Terry has scored 66 goals, making him the Premier League’s highest scoring defender in history.
Chelsea’s captain has earned many awards during his polished career at Stamford Bridge, on both a team and individual level.
Terry was voted defender in the Champions League on two occasions, as well as being included in the FIFPro World XI from 2005-08. Terry won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year in 2005 when the Blues won back to back league titles (2005-07).
Chelsea, under Terry’s leadership, has won four premier league titles, a champions league title, five FA cup championships, three League Cups and the Europa League.
Terry bolstered Chelsea’s defense throughout his years with the club. However, as management shifted, Terry became consistently left out of the side.
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Under Antonio Conte, Terry has seen a reduced number of minutes this season, only seeing the pitch 10 times.
Chelsea wanted to give supporters a chance to show their appreciation for the captain one last time as the season begins to wrap up.
Terry’s football future remains a mystery as some clubs have shown interest, but the decision now rests solely with the defender.