Posts Tagged ‘Abrupt Departure’

Thought of leaving Blues never crossed my mind, says Terry

• Defender confirms he will reject move to Eastlands
• Captain set for new deal worth £150,000 a week

John Terry is expected to agree an improved contract at Chelsea this week after the England captain finally broke his silence on Manchester City’s ambitious attempt to secure his services by committing his future to the London club.

City had a £30m bid for the centre-half rejected out of hand earlier this month but retained hope that Terry might agitate for a move to Eastlands for as long as he refused to comment publicly on the matter. The 28-year-old had privately been unnerved by Chelsea’s inability to secure a marquee signing this summer, and by two years of managerial upheaval since Jose Mourinho’s abrupt departure from the club, but insisted that leaving Stamford Bridge “was never a possibility”.

He had held talks with Roman Abramovich before the team’s departure for their four-match pre-season tour of the United States, but has since met the club’s owner and the chief executive, Peter Kenyon, for further discussions during their stay in the US as he sought assurances over their long-term vision at Stamford Bridge. Although Chelsea were always convinced that they would not lose the defender and believed they had an agreement in place with Terry, the player himself did not make up his mind definitively to stay until Saturday.

• Ancelotti insists he always knew Terry would stay
• Daniel Taylor on Terry’s decision to resist City’s millions
• Dominic Fifield: Chelsea’s pre-season is going to plan

The carefully worded statement released through Chelsea ahead of the team’s game against Club America will be the prelude for discussions to move on to securing the captain on improved terms likely to swell his weekly wage from £135,000 to nearer £150,000 – considerably short of what City were prepared to pay him – which should be signed before the end of the week. The new deal is not expected to extend the defender’s stay at the club beyond the three years still to run on his current contract.

“I am totally committed to Chelsea and always have been,” said Terry. “Chelsea have also made it clear to me consistently that there was never any intention to accept any kind of offer. When you are linked with any club, or with a manager [Mark Hughes] who I have huge respect for, it will always make headlines, but me leaving Chelsea was never a possibility.

“I know there has been comment that I should have made a statement earlier. However, throughout this period there have been numerous discussions between myself, the owner and the Chelsea board and we all agreed that the timing of any statement would suit everyone involved in those talks, not any outside influences or agendas. What is clear to me following those discussions is that Chelsea’s ambition remains as high as ever.”

That ambition has yet to yield either Franck Ribéry or David Villa, the players Terry suggested Chelsea should pursue in the wake of victory in the FA Cup final in May, though the club remain in the market for new blood. Securing their captain will provide a timely boost, particularly as Terry was genuinely intrigued by the project being put in place by the Abu Dhabi United Group at City, though Carlo Ancelotti insisted he was never perturbed by the issue. “There was not a problem because we have been sure that John stays at Chelsea,” said the Italian. “There’s never been a problem with this.”

The new Chelsea manager has already indicated he will build his team around its English core, typified by Terry, with the captain pinpointing the Italian’s influence as another reason to stay. “I am certain that he will take this club on to the next level,” he added. “Another important factor was knowing that Chelsea would be securing key current players for the long term. The strengthening of the squad around this core is crucial to pushing us on to greater success. I am as committed as ever to helping drive Chelsea forward and I will be proud to lead the team for as long as I can.”

The implications for City are less encouraging, though a move for Terry had always been hugely ambitious. Hughes still hopes to secure the Arsenal centre-half Kolo Touré, a long-standing target, as he seeks defensive reinforcements to complement the mouth-watering attacking resources already lured to Eastlands this summer.

Premier League: Andriy Voronin could be recalled by Liverpool to partner Fernando Torres

Andriy Voronin has revealed he could make an unexpected return to Liverpool this season following the abrupt ­departure from Anfield of Robbie Keane. The Ukraine international was allowed to join Hertha Berlin on a season-long loan last summer in the wake of Keane's arrival at Liverpool and Rafael Benítez's decision that the 29-year-old had become surplus to requirements.

Voronin remains under contract at Liverpool, however, and with Benítez's striking options reduced by the Republic of Ireland captain's reunion with Tottenham Hotspur, as well as Fernando Torres' ­supporting cast failing to impress at ­Portsmouth on Saturday, the prospect of an enforced return to Merseyside has been raised.

"There have not been any talks between [Hertha's general manager] Dieter Hoeness, my agent and me," Voronin told Bild newspaper. "I know my agent has talked with Liverpool though. "I still have a ­contract there. And now Keane has been sold. Before he came last summer I was playing regularly under Benítez. With Keane gone, Liverpool don't have many strikers again."

Voronin scored five goals in 19 league games for Liverpool last season, his only campaign at the club so far, having failed to build on an initially encouraging start to life at Anfield. The Ukrainian also struggled to ­settle in England and admits his preference would be to remain in Berlin. "I would happily remain here," said Voronin, who has spent the majority of his career in the Bundesliga. "I like it here, as do my wife and children. I just want clarity as soon as possible."

Torres, meanwhile, is confident Liverpool can sustain their challenge to Manchester United for the Premier League title despite the run of six draws in 10 games that helped hand the initiative to Old Trafford. The Spaniard's late goals against Portsmouth and Chelsea in successive league games have spared Liverpool two further stalemates and underscored how pivotal his form and fitness is to Benítez this season.

Torres, who is expected to play some part against England in Seville on Wednesday, said: "We began very well and at the moment we're going through a period which isn't the best. But we're not bad, maybe it's just that we're stifled by lesser teams who are happy with a draw. We are better against the big teams and we have to show that against Real Madrid.

"It all depends on how you look at things. You can be pessimistic and think we have been knocked out of the cup and that it was tough for us to win. Or you can think positively, which is what I do, and see that we are fighting for the league, that we're in the last 16 of the Champions League, that on the whole we are better than previous years. That's what I think."

Read more...