London – Former Chelsea and England star John Terry has rejected the chance to make a shock move to Russian club Spartak Moscow.
Terry was reported to be on the verge of signing for Spartak after being flown by private jet to Rome on Friday for a medical.
The 37-year-old defender was believed to have been offered a wages in the region of £3 million for a one-year deal.
Spartak appeared confident of securing the high-profile signing, announcing on social media that they were preparing for “a very important guest”.
But after weighing up the move with his family, Terry, who has two children with his wife Toni, has opted against making the switch to Moscow.
“After considerable thought, I have decided to decline a contract offer from Spartak Moscow. I would like to take the opportunity to thank Spartak and wish them and their supporters well for the rest of the season,” said Terry.
“They are an ambitious club and I have been very impressed with their professionalism.
“But after assessing this move with my family, we’ve decided this is not the right move for ourselves at this time. Good luck Spartak.”
Terry spent last season with Championship side Aston Villa, but left after they failed to win promotion to the Premier League.
Following Villa’s play-off final loss to Fulham, Terry had considered retiring, but he told the Daily Mail on Saturday that he is keen to keep playing as long as possible.
Terry was one of Chelsea’s most decorated players, winning five Premier Leagues, five FA Cups and the 2012 Champions League during his time at Stamford Bridge.
He also won 78 caps for England and captained his country on numerous occasions before being stripped of the armband after the Football Association ruled he had racially abused QPR’s Anton Ferdinand.
Source: AFP
