Terry Dancing To The Future

It’s being reported that John Terry and Aston Villa have a mutual 12 month extension option on his existing deal.

Having arrived as a free transfer over the summer from Chelsea, Terry’s impact in the squad has been clear for all to see as we rose into second place in the Championship table and he made his 22nd appearance for us against Birmingham City last weekend.

Now everyone knew when he signed a key part of his decision to come to Villa Park was the fact he didn’t want to turn out against Chelsea, and with the solitary aim being ‘win promotion’ this year many wondered what that would mean for a potential second season for him.

The Telegraph reported yesterday evening that his existing deal did include a 12 month option that can be enacted over the summer to extend his time with us and I’m not sure whether to assume that the 12 month option was a back up for the club should we miss out on promotion – afterall Terry is one of our better paid players so would have Financial Fair Play implications – or whether to read into it that Terry felt 12 months down the line he might not be as against lining up against Chelsea as he was to begin with.

The 12 months extension is reportedly there whether we know exactly why it was built in or not.

Either way the reports all hinge on ‘making a decision in May’ depending on where we find ourselves, but I think the forethought of 12 months probably plays in our favour. Especially when you consider at 37 now, next season you wouldn’t expect Terry to play every game, and I’d be surprised if some kind of conversation hadn’t been had about ‘being rested’ if Chelsea came on our fixture list this year in Cup competitions.

Either that, or following his clash with Cheikh Ndoye in our last match he’s lining himself up for a position on Strictly Come Dancing given a post on his instagram account recently.

At this stage of the season with all eyes on potential promotion, whilst undoubtedly the press speculation has now begun on his future, I very much doubt Terry himself is even looking that far ahead and we already know the club’s stand point on new deals following the Alan Hutton news the other week.

I just hope as the press rehash and regurgitate this now it doesn’t become a distraction as we head towards the end of the campaign.