Former Chelsea striker Demba Ba (L) and John Terry during their time together at the Stamford Bridge. (Photo : Getty Images)
Ex-Chelsea striker Demba Ba reportedly advised his former captain John Terry to come and join him to play in China if he will not be retained by the Blues at the end of the season.
The 35-year-old defender's contract with the Stamford Bridge residents is set to expire this June and even if the Chelsea and England national team captain is said to be "very hopeful" of being given a one-year extension, there were leaked reports saying that the club is not planning on keeping him beyond the current season.
With that, Ba is reportedly urging Terry to "get on the next plane" and join him to play in the Chinese Super League. The 30-year-old Senegal international, who played with Terry at Chelsea for two seasons, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, is now suited up for CSL club Shanghai Shenhua as its main striker.
"I've had lots of calls from players as maybe they've had interest from China or are curious because of the crazy money being paid out here. My advice depends on who calls," Ba said, as reported by The Sun.
"If Eden Hazard was to ring, I'd tell him not to be silly and stay where he is. But if John (Terry) contacts me, I'd tell him, 'Get on the next plane over here... what are you waiting for?'"
"Look, John is still a top player that can perform in any of Europe's top leagues so he doesn't need to come here. But at the age of 35, he has nothing to prove to anybody anymore and if he can get one last huge contract here, it would be more than welcome to him I think. And it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience to live in a completely different culture," he added.
Terry had been with the Blues for the whole of his 18-year senior career and has become a legend at his position at the Stamford Bridge. Ba reportedly believes that the 6-foot-2 center back can offer more than his plays on the pitch but also off of it.
"John is going to teach the kids where he plays, and the team where he plays, what football is all about. They will all look up to him and they will learn from him. Not only the guys playing in his team but the whole league," Ba said, as per ESPN. "Once you play against him and see him on TV and see how he reads the game, you learn from this."
