Terry meets with agent
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John Terry was locked in talks with his agent last night as speculation about a move to Manchester City continued to cast doubt over his future at Stamford Bridge. The England and Chelsea captain is due to fly to Seattle on Thursday with the rest of his team-mates for a four-match pre-season tour in the United States, though it is possible that City will return with a third offer before then.
City officials have not been deterred by Chelsea's claim that Terry is not for sale and it appears that only a statement from the 28-year-old pledging his long-term future to the west London club will bring an end to their pursuit. Terry has yet to transmit that message in the wake of Mark Hughes's renewed attempts to prise the central defender from Stamford Bridge, fuelling the belief that he is, at the very least, interested in listening to what the City manager has to offer.
For those talks to take place Terry would almost certainly need to submit a transfer request and sever his ties with the club where he has spent the past 14 years, a course of action that might well have been discussed during last night's conversation with his advisor. One option open to Chelsea is to offer Terry improved terms but the club would be in no position to match the financial package, worth in excess of £250,000 a week, that City plan to put on the table.
Chelsea maintain that everyone at the club is "relaxed" about Terry's position despite the fact that there appeared to be little sign of any progress between the two parties yesterday. Indeed, mindful that the subject was sure to be top of the agenda, Chelsea decided against holding a press conference today looking ahead to their pre-season tour in the United States, with Carlo Ancelotti now not expected to comment publicly on Terry's position until Friday.