$plash the cash
Terry urges Blues to spend big in quest to retain EPL crown
LONDON: John Terry has urged Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to turn up the heat on their big-spending rivals.
The Stamford Bridge legend has been left stunned by Manchester City’s £43mil (RM236mil) signing of midfielder Bernardo Silva from Monaco.
United are also certain to throw money around this summer. Now Terry hopes the same happens in West London.
Boss Antonio Conte is assessing where to strengthen his squad, as well as pondering whether to allow striker Diego Costa to return to Atletico Madrid.
Terry, 36, left the club after Saturday’s English FA Cup final loss to Arsenal.
He is now deciding on his future after being allowed to leave the club he still refers to as “we”.
An unused substitute in the 2-1 Wembley defeat to Arsenal, he said: “Manchester City have already made one big signing, so we need to act fast and I am sure the club will. Everyone needs to keep raising the bar.
“We can push on. Clearly, we have to keep improving year after year.
“I’ve seen that you can’t stand still in the transfer market. I am sure we’ll do the same, the manager stressed that.
“This team is a great group and seeing it from a different perspective, from my point of view this year, certain people stood up to the plate, like they did after halftime against Arsenal and in other big matches when we’ve been losing.
“Not playing in the Champions League was big for us this year but that can be the attraction of signing bigger and better players as well.
“That’s a plus on that side of it but this current squad is good enough to go and compete in all competitions at every level.
“Naturally there are going to be more games next year, so the squad needs improving and a bit more strength in depth.”
Terry, meanwhile, insisted he does not know where he will be playing next season, even though he has been linked with joining Eddie Howe at Bournemouth.
He said: “I need a good week away just to reflect.
“It doesn’t help because it was heartbreaking at Wembley, going out like that and losing.
“Really, honestly, I’ve not thought about the immediate future too much.
“Every time I do, I think, ‘ we’ve got Arsenal’ or, ‘we’ve got this game coming up’ and you know it’s of massive importance.
“Everyone keeps asking me and no one believes me when I say I’ve not got anything sorted.
“I’ve got options but nothing sorted or set in stone.”
Although his short-term future may hang in the balance, Terry admitted his master plan is to be a coach.
He said: “It’s probably the last time for me at Wembley as a player.
“Hopefully one day I’ll be back as a manager, that’s the ambition.
“It has been difficult for me to do my coaching badges actually as a player – I’ve been looking to do it for the last year.
“Every time we get a day off, you’ve got a coaching session planned and then you think, ‘OK, I am going to spend it with the family’.
“I do want to be a manager, though. I’ve got too much to give and I’ve learnt too much not to pass that on, whether that’s initially to a younger generation or eventually at this level.”
Conte will take time to look back on his stunning start to life in English football, ultimately identifying areas where he can improve his team.
He claimed Chelsea’s squad were not as big as some of the club’s main rivals.
The Italian said: “It will be very important to analyse this season and our squad.
“We reached an incredible target with the players who performed at 120%.
“We didn’t have any injuries this season, which was because of our good work but also very lucky.
“Next season will be another tough season for all the teams.
“But, don’t forget, this season we didn’t have a squad like United, City, Tottenham (Hotspur) and Arsenal.
“Now it’s important to understand this and find the right solution.
“Don’t forget, we weren’t the champions and now we start next season as the champions. It will be different.”