John Terry could be set for a reunion with former Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas in the Chinese Super League, according to reports.
TheDaily Mirror claims that the defender is at the top of Villas-Boas' wishlist after the Portuguese manager took charge of Shanghai SIPG - the Far East outfit that had tried to entice Terry away from Chelsea last summer.
The 35-year-old reportedly turned down a £12m-a-year deal to trade Premier League football for the rapidly growing league out in China as he penned a 12-month contract extension with his boyhood club.
However, the Blues' club captain has lost his place in Antonio Conte's starting lineup after sitting out four matches with an injured ankle throughout late September and early October, and speculation now seems to suggest that Terry could opt to depart Stamford Bridge either in January or in the summer once his current deal expires.
Conte has seen his side's fortunes improve massively ever since the Italian switched to his preferred 3-5-2 system, with David Luiz, Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta forming a formidable centre back trio that has not conceded a goal since adopting the formation change.
A lack of regular football, coupled with Terry's contract and salary apparently hinges on the number of appearances he makes, could now see the former England international sever ties with Chelsea even ahead of a possible fifth and final Premier League title at the end of the season.
The Chelsea veteran has featured once since recovering from his period on the sidelines but, with that appearance coming in the 2-1 EFL Cup defeat to West Ham United, Conte has seen no reason to recall Terry for league encounters with his side on a five-match winning run.
Terry worked alongside Villas-Boas during the latter's ill-fated spell in London as he failed to follow in the mammoth footsteps of the beloved Jose Mourinho, with the ex-Porto boss sacked just nine months into his reign at Stamford Bridge.
Having now taken charge of one of China's wealthiest clubs after replacing Sven Goran Eriksson, however, the 39-year-old is keen to spend big on enticing a number of big-name stars to the Super League as he continues to rebuild his career away from England.
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