Stoke City eyeing up summer deal for Chelsea defender John Terry

Stoke City are considering a move for Chelsea defender John Terry when his contract at the club expires this summer, according to The Sun.

The 36-year-old will see his 22-year association with the Blues come to an end this summer after the club decided against renewing his contract, which will bring to a conclusion a phenomenal career for the former England captain in West London.

Terry has played 713 times for Chelsea since his debut in October 1998, and in that time has won four Premier League titles, five FA Cups, and a Champions League crown, with Antonio Conte’s men hoping to add another to those first two tallies this term.

Nonetheless, attentions are turning to who the centre-back could sign for in the summer, and although there is reported interest from the Chinese Super League and the MLS, Mark Hughes’ Stoke are also thought to be interested in the 36-year-old.

The Potters are 13th in the Premier League table but still well-placed to clinch a fourth successive top-half finish, and could even record their best ever top-flight position if they were to pip West Brom to eighth place.

And the challenge now for Hughes’ men is to try and go to the next level, be it by targeting silverware in the domestic cup competitions or challenging the top seven, and the Potters boss is clearly keen on bringing Terry to the bet365 Stadium in a bid to do just that.

He said: ‘John’s got to move somewhere, he’s someone I know very well but I think there would be a lot of interest in him.

‘Whether or not we’d be able to present anything to John that would make him think, I don’t know, I haven’t had that conversation.’

Hughes’ men host Arsenal next weekend before finishing their Premier League campaign at Southampton on May 21.