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John Terry has set his sights on leading Chelsea to Premier League glory after finally confirming he is staying at Stamford Bridge.
The England captain released a statement before the club's 2-0 win over Club America here last night to say that he would not be joining Manchester City.
The 28-year-old, pictured above with the World Football Challenge Shield, insists he was never interested in going to City, whose last offer of £35million was turned down, but simply wanted reassurances over Chelsea's ambition.
In pictures: One-club men - Most loyal footballers
He said: “From day one I had a call from chief executive Peter Kenyon telling me about the offer from Man City and that the club didn't want to sell me. From then on it was never an issue for me to leave Chelsea Football Club.
“I just wanted reassurances that key players around me like Didier Drogba and Ashley Cole, who are in contract talks at the moment, are going to be staying. Ash was brilliant last year. He has two years left on his current deal and I want these kind of players around me. I'm sure the fans feel the same.
“The ambition of the club has really impressed me and we are pushing in the right direction of where we want to be, pushing for the Premier League and the Champions League again, and the other trophies available to us.
“From a player's point of view we have massively missed getting our hands on that Premier League title — we've been close and haven't had that taste of it.
“This season we have a good feeling already, it is early days but we are playing well and that belief is back in the side. We ended last year on a high note and hopefully we can start well and push the other sides. Liverpool and Man United have lost big players, we haven't and we are looking to strengthen as well.”
Chelsea have been after Franck Ribery, David Villa, Alexandre Pato and Andrea Pirlo this summer and Terry reveals he has been told the club have come close to buying one.
He added: “We have failed to sign any real expensive players at the moment, but they have told me about the signings they have tried to make and that they have just fell short. Clubs are asking for too much but I'm pleased to know about it.
“Obviously a big signing would be fantastic, but we have a group of 25-26 players here who are more than capable of winning trophies for Chelsea.”
He is also adamant that he hasn't used City's interest to try to negotiate a better deal, even though he is expected to get a pay-rise that will take him up to £150,000-a-week.
He said: “I have three years on my deal and from day one it has not been about a new contract.
“I haven't spoken about contract talks over the last five weeks. Hopefully if I have a good year they will start talking sooner rather than later.”
In pictures: One-club men - Most loyal footballers
Reader views (8)
No player today has any loyalty. Why should they? Top flight players only have 10 years in which to make a large pile of money. They won't be playing from 35 years of age onwards and, in Britain, players don't usually make successful managers. They have very little opportunity of making big money again. By not denying the City bid all Terry did was alert the clubs he really wanted to play for - Inter, Barca, Real - he was open to offers. They just couldn't afford the transfer fee and his personal terms. So, for now, he stays at Chelsea.
- Mike Abbott, London, UK, 28/07/2009 06:47
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Never done a days work in his life.
- Jimfred, London Uk, 28/07/2009 00:10
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Anyone who saw Terry's "Inside Sport" interview a few months ago will know what a buffoon he is.
- Keith, King's Cross, London, 27/07/2009 17:02
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You've completely missed the point. You can't require assurances to convince you to stay AND say it was never in any doubt you'd leave.
If there was really never any doubt, he'd have said so when the first bid went in would he not?
Except of course he wouldn't.
Because it's John Terry.
- Stu, Beckton, 27/07/2009 16:56
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Er, Gareth, do you work for money? yes? then you're a mercenary too. And Stu - why shouldn't the Captain want those assurances? He wants to know the owner is going to stick with a manager for a few years to really develop the club and team. Nothing wrong in that.
- Peter Bench, London, 27/07/2009 13:32
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So he was never, ever going to leave.
Except he wanted assurances before saying it out loud.
Totally sums the man up.
- Stu, Beckton, 27/07/2009 12:32
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Terry is a mercenary and no loyalty to anyone but his bank account. All he has done is use this situation to increase his wages, wait now for the press release that he is he is going to be the top paid player at plastic Chelsea
- Gareth, Hackney, 27/07/2009 11:04
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Well, that's alright then - just a shame all this couldn't have been sorted out a couple of weeks ago.
Ancelotti comes out of this well - hail, Carletto !
- Charlie, Nr. Crackpot, North Yorkshire, 27/07/2009 10:17
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