John Terry makes move to Aston Villa official

  • 04/07/2017

At the age of 36, and having won five Premier League titles, former Chelsea captain John Terry has embarked on a final challenge by signing a one-year contract with Championship side Aston Villa.

In the age of huge-money moves to football's new world, Terry's career choice represents a throwback to a time when players dropped down a division to draw a final paycheque.

But where most went in search of an easier life, Terry said his decision did not indicate a softening in his footballing ambitions and was more about ensuring he avoided playing against the club for whom he appeared more than 700 times.

John Terry
John Terry. Photo credit: Getty

"The mental side of playing against Chelsea was too much to kind of get over for me," Terry said.

"It was 22 years and I am very proud of that, I wish Chelsea well next season but now my thoughts are 100 per cent here. I am delighted to be here as a player.

"It is obviously a huge club, I had a few conversations with (manager) Steve (Bruce) over the summer. I am very hungry to still play at the top with a club and a manager who still has the same ambition as me.

"The ambition for me to continue playing some people will understand and some people will not. I am in good physical condition. I am ready to play and give it everything this year. I am here, I am ready to fight for the Villa shirt and for this football club."

British media reported Terry's 12-month contract to be worth 60,000 pounds per week, a deal that Bruce predicted would be "worth every penny" if it kickstarts a promotion challenge for the club.

"He is worth every penny because we know what he brings," Bruce said.

"It is not often that you get a natural leader of men these days. I have watched him from afar for a long, long time, and to get him here is a great coup for all of us."

Birmingham City, Villa's cross-city rivals, also offered him a deal, their manager Harry Redknapp said on Monday.

"We made him a good offer. I would be a hypocrite if I said he was not a top player. Aston Villa have signed a top player," Redknapp said.

Terry will wear the No. 26 shirt, the same as he did at Chelsea, and is tipped to become the club's captain.

Reuters