Chelsea captain, John Terry is set to become one of the highest paid players in the world by moving to China on a £12million-a-year deal, British media report.
According to The Sun UK, the defender, who is already out of contract at Stamford Bridge this summer and looks unlikely to have his deal renewed by new boss Antonio Conte, is close to agreeing a bumper payday with a move to the Chinese Super League.
The tabloid reports that “Chinese football outfits are enjoying a state-backed spending spree and would be willing to shell out on the former England captain due to his huge popularity in the country”.
It says that Terry was recently on a promotional tour of the Far East Asian country and has become a hotcake in that part of the world with his former England boss, Sven-Goran Eriksson wanting him at his club Shanghai SIPG and former Chelsea manager, Philippe Scolari has also made enquiries from champions, Guangzhou Evergrande. Former Chelsea star, Dan Petrescu, who is boss at Jiangsu Suning would not mind having Terry to bolster his squad, either.
Terry has not yet been officially confirmed as leaving Chelsea but was not included in promotional material for next season’s kit.
The veteran has probably played his last game for Stamford Bridge outfit after getting a two-match ban for his second sending off of the season in the defeat against Sunderland.
A potential move by Terry to America has been ended as he would have to take a massive pay cut.
MLS clubs must abide by strict salary rules and can only offer certain ‘designated’ players comparable wages to European clubs, like his former team-mate Frank Lampard.
But no clubs in the MLS have indicated they want to sign him on a ‘designated’ player basis, meaning he would only earn around £5,000-per-week.
