Chelsea’s interim manager Guus Hiddink believes that defender and captain John Terry is worthy of a new contract.

The 35-year-old is set to leave the club at the end of the campaign as his contract runs out in a few weeks. Chelsea confirmed six months ago that they would not be extending the deal of their talisman even though the player himself expressed his desire to stay. After his recent sending-off against Sunderland, Terry will be unavailable for the last two games against Liverpool and Leicester City. This denies him a chance to put on a Chelsea shirt for one final time at Stamford Bridge.

After having given impeccable service to the club over the last decade, Hiddink feels that Terry deserves a great sending-off if he is to leave the club. However, he has urged the club to reconsider their decision since he feels that a player like Terry is invaluable in the dressing room. The presence of Terry is especially important next season considering that new manager Antonio Conte comes to the club to replace Hiddink. He has no experience of managing outside England and any help from experienced players with the Chelsea squad will be immense. Terry is last of the old guard left at the club.

“When I make a judgement on his age and his fitness then he is able to continue. He is able to play.Despite the season not being a great season, it’s always good to have the key players on board and playing.But it is up to the club to make declarations on that. Whether [the Sunderland game] would have been his last is not up to me. Whatever happens, it’s clear that when he goes, if he does, then he deserves a huge goodbye,” said Hiddink after the loss to Sunderland.