Feature: John Terry exit from Chelsea would benefit Michael Essien

Published on: 27 April 2013
Feature: John Terry exit from Chelsea would benefit Michael Essien
Michael Essien could profit from John Terry's exit from Chelsea

Chelsea's Michael Essien has a very good reason for hoping John Terry doesn’t sign a new contract with the club.

John Terry’s current contract expires in the summer of 2014 and the recent example of Frank Lampard has shown that no one is safe from the axe at Stamford Bridge, regardless of their stature at the club.

Michael Essien has been on loan with Real Madrid this season, which always seemed a bit strange considering his quality and the effect he could have on the current Chelsea side.

If Terry leaves Chelsea next year, then it increases the chances that David Luiz will remain as a central defender, arguably his best position, over moving into a midfield role.

That leaves a gap for Essien in the side, which is important if he’s looking to stay at Chelsea and extend his contract beyond its current expiration date of the summer of 2015.

There has been a lot of talk that whoever comes in as the new boss of Chelsea at the end of the season, could well urge David Luiz to step out of the defence and play a regular holding role in the side.

It’s something he’s done already this season and it allows him to give into all of his natural urges as there is slightly less pressure on him in a defensive sense which comes with the role of playing as a centre back.

If that happen, and Terry signs an extended contract with the club, it’s difficult to see where Essien can fit into the side, adding to the fact that John Obi Mikel is also a very good defensive midfield player.

Hopefully the new manager at the club will realise the importance of the chance he has to keep Essien at the club but it comes down to how much the midfielder wants to play regular football over staying at Chelsea.

If that’s an assurance that the new boss can’t give him, then Chelsea may have no choice but to cash in on the remaining two years of his deal and grant him any request to go and play football somewhere else.

It would seem very strange of Chelsea not to retain Terry because he is the club captain and the most experienced central defender the club have available.

However, it seemed just as logical to keep Lampard at Stamford Bridge beyond this season but there is still no indication at all over that happening, which in itself increases the importance of trying to keep Terry.

Chelsea will lose a lot of experience when Lampard leaves the club and Terry could be used to bridge that gap, regardless of the fact that could mean an end to Essien’s career with the Blues.

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