John Terry has dismissed talk that his reluctance to issue a statement on his future was because he was seeking a new deal at Chelsea. The England captain has been the subject of several failed big money bids from Manchester City, backed by Sheikh Mansour, in recent weeks but yesterday ended speculation by stating his intentions to remain in west London. The Chelsea skipper said recent talks with club owner Roman Abramovich were an attempt to seek assurances that the current Chelsea squad would remain in tact, rather than anything to do with his own future. It was the Blues defender's delay in speaking out which fuelled the fires that he was indeed interested in joining Mark Hughes's multimillion pound squad or that he was looking to cash in on City's interest in him by demanding a bumper new deal from his Stamford Bridge paymasters. Now Terry has revealed his talks with Mr Abramovich were not about getting a new contract but to get assurances over the futures of his teammates. Terry told Sky Sports News: "It's never been about a new deal, we've never spoken about a new contact over the past five weeks. "It's never been about a new deal for John Terry. I've got three years left on my contract. "I've been at Chelsea 14 years now and I aim to finish my career here." With a new manager at the helm in Carlo Ancelotti, Terry says he sought assurances that the club's star players, such as England teammate Frank Lampard, would be playing alongside him for the foreseeable future. "I want these kind of players around me and I want these kind of players at Chelsea Football Club." Ancelotti welcomed Terry's announcement as good news. "For sure I am happy, not only me is happy but all the club and the fans," he told Sky Sports News. "It is very important but I was sure as I know John Terry - he is very professional and his leadership within the club, and I said to him to have trust in me."
sluckings@thenational.ae * With PA Sport
