Former England and Chelsea defender John Terry has hung up his boots as he plans to make a move to in management amid Aston Villa links.
Terry has been without a club since leaving Aston Villa at the end of last season and has been reported to have turned down a move to join Russia club Spartak Moscow.
The 37-year-old is also rumored to be on the radar of Aston Villa who want him to be part of the new coaching staff with Thierry Henry in pole position to land the job as a manager.
Terry was capped 78 times by England and left Chelsea in 2017 after two decades at Stamford Bridge. He is the most decorated Chelsea player having won five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, a Champions, five league cups, and a Europa League in more than 700 appearances for Chelsea.
In a lengthy Instagram post, John Terry announced his retirement:
“As a 14-year-old, I made my best and biggest decision: to sign for Chelsea Football Club. Words will never be enough to show how much everyone at the club means to me, in particular the fans.
“Right from the outset they have given me total support, on and off the pitch, and I have a tremendous bond with them.
“We achieved so many great memories together and I couldn’t have succeeded without you. To me, you are the best fans in the world. I hope I have done you all proud wearing the shirt and the armband.
“My club career and heart will always belong to Chelsea, but I am grateful for my loan spell at Nottingham Forest in 1999, which was invaluable for my development as a young player.
“And I also want to say a huge thank you to Aston Villa for giving me the opportunity to play at such a big club and captain it throughout the 2017-18 season.
“It was a privilege to represent such a renowned football club with great fans.
“I look forward to the next chapter in my life and the challenges ahead.”
