It was only a year ago that Chelsea were supposedly about to lose Frank Lampard. With Jose Mourinho poised to swoop, speculation was rife that the talismanic midfielder was ready to swap Stamford Bridge for the San Siro. However, after months of negotiations a new contract was agreed, making Lampard the highest paid 30 year old in the history of British football. The cynics might wonder how close the Chelsea vice-captain really came to leaving.
Twelve months on and John Terry is now the subject of rabid speculation, with mega rich Man City preparing a £35 million bid for the England captain. As with Lampard, Terry’s devotion to the club has never previously been called into question. However, the headline writers continue to insist he has more than a passing interest in the move.
Predictably, most of what has been written is nothing short of sensationalist nonsense. The only truth is that Man City’s most recent offer was rejected out of hand by Chelsea. Cue an awful lot of reading between the lines into Terry’s state of mind, the thoughts of ‘insiders’ and why he will be wearing a different shade of blue next season.
With Sheikh Mansour allegedly willing to double Terry’s current wage, it would be naive to suggest that there is no financial edge to the story. But it’s also wholly patronising to suggest he is merely using the interest as leverage to bolster his Stamford Bridge wage packet. As contract negotiations open with Chelsea, isn’t the fact he is the club’s finest defender of all time enough of a bargaining position?
Money is a factor, but the likelihood is that Terry is merely seeking parity with the club’s top earners. Not quite as dramatic as the speculators would have you believe, but who could really blame him? Approaching 29, this is the most important contract of his career and he is just as vital to the club as Ballack and Lampard who currently earn more than him.
If Terry has any genuine interest in the transfer, it has far more to do with both his and Chelsea’s ambitions. With the greatest respect to Man City’s lofty aspirations, they are merely the third cog in this wheel.
Shortly after Carlo Ancelotti was announced as Chelsea’s new manager Terry suggested the signings of David Villa and Franck Ribery would help the club push for the major honours it has narrowly missed out on over the past three seasons. It’s clear he is deeply ambitious, but then that’s hardly news to anyone who has watched him play over the last decade. During this time Chelsea have never failed to match his ambition.
But since his call for big money signings, Chelsea have only acquired Yuri Zhirkov and Daniel Sturridge. And when Terry returned from pre-season training last week there was still no hint of a marquee signing. Ironically, in spite of being the world’s richest club his proposed suitors have suffered a similar fate in the transfer market. With Samuel Eto’o the latest A-list player to reject their advances, it is clear that Man City are still some way from becoming a major European force.
It is not inconceivable that it could take the Manchester club another three years to mount a sustained challenge for the Premier League title, let alone the Champions League. By then John Terry would be 32 and possibly wondering what he might have achieved at Stamford Bridge.
If it does come down to pure personal ambition, then Terry will do well to sit tight at Chelsea. Regardless of who they might add to their ranks this summer, they have an exceptional opportunity to regain the Premier League title next year. Following the departure of Tevez and Ronaldo, they face a significantly weakened Man United, whilst Liverpool will struggle to add any signings of note given their current financial predicament.
Last January, when Man City made their initial bid for the England captain he made it clear he was in absolute agreement with Chelsea’s decision to reject the offer. It’s worth remembering this was during the worst moments of Chelsea’s rapid decline under Luis Felipe Scolari. The only phase in the club’s recent history known to have profoundly rocked Terry.
Since then the club has stabilised, won the FA Cup and appointed one of the finest club coaches in Europe. If Terry was unbending in his loyalty during the crisis that came before, then one suspects he is probably just as committed now… in spite of what you might read.
