John Terry: Five possible next moves

Following John Terry’s announcement that he will leave Chelsea at the end of this season and look to play on away from the Premier League, Omnisport examines five potential destinations for the Stamford Bridge captain.

MLS

Terry confirmed he will not line up for another Premier League club, which opens up the prospect of his joining the growing ranks of former England stars plying their trade in Major League soccer.

Ex-Chelsea and England team-mate Ashley Cole has joined Terry’s fellow former England captain Steven Gerrard at LA Galaxy, while old Stamford Bridge ally Frank Lampard is preparing for his first full campaign with New York City – having undertaken the type of sojourn at Manchester City that Terry insists he wants no part of in his post-Stamford Bridge career.

Chinese Super League

Flushed with cash, the Chinese Super League is attempting to establish itself as an alternative counterpoint to Europe’s dominance of club football.

Brazil international Ramires swapped Chelsea for Jiangsu Suning this week and, should Terry opt to follow suit, he would find plenty of familiar faces.

Premier League tussles against Asamoah Gyan and Demba Ba could be revisited, with the strikers in situ at Shanghai SIPG and Shanghai Shenhua, while Tim Cahill – a veteran campaigner who can match Terry’s aerial prowess – is also on the books at the latter club.

Bayern Munich

Terry’s Chelsea glory years will be forever be linked to Jose Mourinho’s stints as manager at Stamford Bridge, but he also memorably lifted the Premier League and FA Cup double under Carlo Ancelotti in 2009-10.

The esteemed Italian coach will take the reins at Bundesliga giants Bayern when Pep Guardiola seeks pastures new at the end of this season. Unlike Terry, the former Barcelona boss appears to be Premier League-bound and his departure could spark a post-season of upheaval in Bavaria.

Should Ancelotti feel the need to bring in a reliable, steadying influence amid possible uncertainty he knows a one-time ally is ready and available.

Paris Saint-Germain

Should Terry wish to remain in top tier European football, Paris Saint-Germain could provide an intriguing option. Chelsea are poised for their latest Champions League showdown with the Ligue 1 title holders next month and Laurent Blanc and company will be thoroughly well-versed in Terry’s qualities.

PSG already allowed one decorated England captain to bring down the curtain on his career, when David Beckham graced the Parc des Princes, and Terry could provide a handy quick-fix as speculation increases that Marquinhos will leave the French capital in search of regular first-team starts.

Inter

Inter boss Roberto Mancini became an admirer of Terry during his time in charge of Manchester City and was heavily linked with a move for the centre-back when he was coach at Galatasaray.

An unexpected title challenge from the San Siro outfit has faded slightly in recent weeks, meaning Mancini and ambitious owner Erick Thohir are likely to seek proven trophy-winners during the close-season transfer window.

Nemanja Vidic’s fitful Inter stint ended prematurely this month, but Terry could provide an alternative take on an ex-Premier League defensive great aiming to enter the hearts of the Nerazzurri faithful.