Report: Aston Villa set to announce defender this weekend, club assemble £5m package
By Derek Smithson
Aston Villa are set to complete the signing of defender John Terry this weekend when his deal at Chelsea expires, according to a report.
The Mirror claim that the 36-year-old is expected to join the Midlands giants when he officially becomes a free agent on Saturday.
It is understood that Villa have won the race ahead of rivals Birmingham for his signature and that the centre-back will sign a one-year deal worth a £5million fee.
The former England international has been offered a £5million package to drop down to the Championship, which will include a bonus if he helps them achieve promotion.
The report details that Birmingham manager Harry Redknapp has conceded defeat in the race for Terry and that Villa could now confirm his deal this weekend when they are due to unveil their new kit.
Terry will finally leave his beloved Stamford Bridge in the summer and will go down in Blues history.
Chelsea’s long-serving captain was a serial winner during his time at the Londoners and won 17 major titles with them.
However, he appears to have more to give and could now play for another side for the first time in his career.
Terry is believed to reluctant of joining another Premier League side and looks set to aid Villa’s promotion push in the Championship, instead.
Football Insider verdict:
Villa would be pulling off arguably the best signing in Championship history if Terry’s deal is completed as expected this weekend. The 36-year-old may be approaching the back-end of his career, but this is a player that should be considered the greatest ever Premier League defender. He has leadership qualities beyond belief and his arrival at Villa Park would give everyone in the squad a major lift. Terry’s intelligence and footballing brain should see him look a class above in the Championship despite his age. Meanwhile, the likes of James Chester, Nathan Baker and Tommy Elphick will learn so much from having a centre-back of Terry’s class around them. Villa already have a very impressive squad ahead of next year and should be considered frontrunners for promotion if Terry joins.
In other Aston Villa transfer news, a Spanish club have offered a seven-figure sum for their defender.
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