John Terry will this week discover his fate at Chelsea after it last night emerged he had been summoned for talks with the club.
Roman Abramovich’s key transfer tacticians Marina Granovskaia and Michael Emenalo are reportedly ready to sit down with Terry and give him the verdict this week.
Abramovich, according to a report in The Times, will have the final say on whether the veteran centre-half stays and his aides will merely be delivering the news.
Terry is out of contract at the end of the season and revealed in January that he was told he would not be offered fresh terms to extend his 18-year stay in west London.
The former England captain is not ready to hang up his boots and told reporters on Monday that he was still hopeful of earning a new deal at Stamford Bridge.
"I still want to play for a couple more years, hopefully at Chelsea," Terry said in an interview aired on Danish club Brondby's TV channel.
Video: Is this how it ends for Chelsea legend John Terry?
"I'm a Chelsea player and Chelsea's been my club from the age of 14. I love Chelsea."
Terry may have played his last game for the Blues after his sending off at Sunderland on Saturday ruled him out of Chelsea’s final two Premier League fixtures of the season.
Despite being banned for the remaining games, Terry will join his team-mates for a lap of honour after the final-day visit of champions Leicester City.
Chelsea’s interim manager Guus Hiddink yesterday distanced himself from Terry’s predicament as the fans demand answers over their captain, leader, legend.
“The people who are making the decisions want to take their time, to make decisions, possibly,” Hiddink said.
“That’s up to them. That doesn’t mean there’s [been] dramatic, bad treatment so far, but everyone has his own approach to deal with this matter.
It’s the same as Ashley Cole and Lampard. I don’t neglect the facts.
“But there is a strategy. I’m not having the conversation inside the club and they choose what they choose.
“I don’t know the state of mind of the fans but my personal opinion is that when you know your plans once you know which way you’re going in the future, then you can be transparent.
“It’s up to the club. It’s not up to me. It’s for the board and the [new] management.”
Blues skipper Terry has a firm offer on the table from a Chinese Super League outfit and could earn as much as £20million for playing for just one year in the Far East.
Gallery: John Terry's Chelsea career highlights
He would prefer a move to the MLS but his wage demands could prove a stumbling block with clubs indicating they have no room for Terry as a ‘designated player’.
The league’s wage-cap structure means that if Terry was to sign on regular terms for an MLS side, the 35-year-old could earn no more than around £5,000-a-week.
Terry is said to have met twice with incoming manager Antonio Conte and been given no assurances over his future by the Italian on either occassion.
Juventus star Leonardo Bonucci, long-term target John Stones and Roma’s Kostas Manolas have all been identified as potential replacements should Terry leave Chelsea.
Here's a look at how Terry's final days at Chelsea could pan out...
How John Terry's final days at Chelsea could play out
Monday, May 9
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Terry travelled to Denmark to watch Brondby play in Copenhagen. The Danish club are owned by his friend Jan Bech Andersen and he has previously been linked with a management role at the club.
Tuesday, May 10
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Having made the quick dash back across Europe, Terry is expected to report for training at Cobham as usual. He has had his fair share of fitness problems this season but is fit again having played in the club’s last two fixtures.
Wednesday, May 11
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Chelsea face Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool at Anfield. Blues manager Guus Hiddink will be unable to select Terry as he serves the first of his two-game suspension against the Reds on Merseyside.
Thursday, May 12
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The Blues are likely to be given the day off after their exertions in Liverpool the previous night. Recovery time is crucial for the squad to avoid injuries, particularly in the latter stages of the season.
Friday & Saturday, May 13 & 14
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Training resumes at Cobham as attention turns to Chelsea’s final remaining Premier League fixture of the 2015-16 season. Terry is expected to continue working on his fitness with the group despite his continued suspension.
Sunday, May 15
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Leicester come to Stamford Bridge to bring the curtain down on the campaign. Terry will be in attendance and take in the game from the comfort of a private box before joining the squad on the pitch for a lap of honour and followed by a bash at the club’s Under the Bridge music venue.
Monday, May 16
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Having been confined to the stands for the Leicester game, Terry will finally get the chance to take to the field one last time for a farewell party after it emerged he is hiring out Stamford Bridge for a game with his close pals. Chelsea are waiving the pitch hire fee.
Tuesday, May 17
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The countdown begins until the expiry of Terry’s Chelsea contract at the end of June. Unless the club have a late change of heart, the captain will begin looking for a new club for next season.
