Terry would consider move if role reduced

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Terry played every minute in the Premier League last season as Chelsea claimed the title and is working hard to ensure he remains a key part of Jose Mourinho’s plans for the forthcoming campaign, too.

“I am not taking anything for granted,” Terry said.

“The manager has said if I can keep my form, I am in the side. But, if I don’t keep my form, he will have no qualms about taking me out and putting someone else in.

“We have an honest relationship, I don’t doubt that he trusts me. Hopefully I can repay that, because he has been superb to me. I will give him everything.

“And he has been a father figure in my career so I owe him an awful lot. I realise one day that my career will come to an end so I want to give everything these next few years.

“Every summer I work more or less every day to give myself the best chance. If it comes to that point where I am left out of the side, I know it’s not through any fault of not trying.”

Another of Chelsea’s old guard, Petr Cech, found himself out of the team last season, while one of Terry’s former England team-mates, Steven Gerrard, decided to join Frank Lampard in moving to MLS after being informed he was facing a reduced role at Liverpool.

Terry, like Cech, says he would act professionally if he lost his place, but he hinted he would consider joining Gerrard and Lampard in leaving the Premier League for an overseas league should he wish to continue playing regular football.

“I could handle being out of the team,” the 34-year-old said. No doubt people like me and Steven want to play. Those are our natural instincts. When you play your whole career, it’s hard.

“(But) Petr Cech was a model professional last year and that is why he got the move he wanted, because of how well he reacted around the place. 

“I have seen other players go the other way. I certainly would go down the Petr route and continue giving everything to the squad.

“If I then felt Chelsea were going to release me or thought I had nothing else to give, but I thought I could, then of course I would still want to continue to play. But that would not be in the Premier League.”