Why This Could Be John Terry's Last Season At Chelsea

Mourinho in recent past has shown his ruthlessness in replacing ageing players in the team. Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole were the latest player to feel the brunt other side of the special one.

While most managers tactically ease out their ageing players from their squad, same cannot be said of Jose Mourinho who do not mince word in telling the players that their time is past in the club.

Petr Cech who was fantastic for Chelsea last season while also winning the PFA keeper of the year has been abruptly dropped to the bench while young Belgian Thibaut Courtios has taken his place in-between the sticks. And one could only fear what would become of club captain John Terry if by any chance he suffers a dip in form this season.

Terry has remained one of the Premier league best central defender this season using his experience and his ability to read games to churn out impressive performance for the club this season. His partnership with Cahill have been hailed by many as the best in the Premier league, but the question that have remained on most people’s mind is how long can Terry continue to perform at the high level required of him by Jose Mourinho.

Terry’s position is secured for now but that might soon change with Mourinho keen on rebuilding the squad. It is reasonable to think that very soon his competiveness for club will begin to drop which might see the younger players take over from him.

Chelsea already has some talented Central defenders in their ranks. Kurt Zouma has played a bit part of the season so far and looks like coming through very fast. Thomas Kalas (on loan at Fc Koln), who partnered Ivanovic in the game against Liverpool at Anfield is also a good prospect to replace Terry in the team. Andre Christensen and Nigerian Kenneth Omeruo who is on loan at Championship side Middlesbrough are all contenders to take up Terry’s spot whenever Mourinho decides to drop his trusted and reliable captain.

Chelsea have also been linked to Antonio Rudiger of VFB Stuttgart. The young German is said to be wanted away at the club after their unimpressive start to the season. Chelsea is keeping tabs on the 21-year-old former Borussia Dortmund youth player and could make a move for him.

Already capped by the German national team, Rudiger is seen as one of the hottest prospect in European football and consequently considered by Jose Mourinho as the perfect like for like long term replacement for John Terry when he calls it quit on his club career.

Terry is no longer getting younger, though he could still be performing at a high level and people will call to question the need to be in a hurry to replace him. But Mourinho is not the type of manager that waits for his players to begin to make series of costly mistakes as a result of age before he replaces them.

By next year Terry will be 35, and it is yet to be seen if Mourinho will allow him to continue to lead the line from behind. But whatever situation pans out, Chelsea will have a ready cover in the likes of Zouma, Omeruo, Kalas, Christensen or Rudiger (if he make the move to London) to take over from where the club’s most successful captain left off.