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Chelsea skipper John Terry may not be the perfect role model for young footballers but there is no doubting his skills on the pitch. The 33-year-old has been with the Blues since 1998 which seems like forever and has won plenty of silverware with the London club including 3 Premier League trophies, 5 FA Cups and 1 Champions League.The former England international will leave a gaping hole in Chelsea's defence when he decides to retire but there are a few players who can step into his massive boots. Here is a list of 5 potential John Terry replacements.
#1 Nathaniel Chalobah
Chelsea have a potential John Terry replacement within their own academy. Chalobah has been Chelsea’s youth academy since 2005 and is considered to be one of their brightest prospects. Chalobah is an extremely versatile player who excels in the defence as well as the midfield.
The 19-year-old enjoyed fruitful spells with Watford and Nottingham Forest and is currently on loan with Middlesbrough where he continues to gain praise for his exploits. Chalobah is a born leader much like Terry and was captain of the England Under-17 and Under-19 sides. Chelsea needn’t try that hard to find a defender to replace Terry when he retires as they have a capable player in Nathaniel Chalobah.
#2 Kurt Zouma
Chelsea have another potential John Terry successor in their ranks in the form of Kurt Zouma. The 20-year-old was snapped up by the Blues for £12 million from French club Saint Etienne who will retain him for the rest of the season.
Zouma, who was named by British newspaper The Guardian as one of the 10 most promising youngsters in Europe, attracted some negative attention due to being banned for 10 games after a tackle by him broke another players right leg and ankle but there is no doubting his abilities as a player.
The youngster has appeared 52 times for St. Etienne aged just 20 and is an integral part of his country’s youth teams. France coach Didier Deschamps even named Zouma as a potential future captain for Les Blues. Let’s hope Zouma comes good in the Premier League and has as big an impact at Chelsea as John Terry had for more than a decade.
#3 Inigo Martinez
The Real Sociedad youngster is blessed with some unique talent and is being monitored by all the top clubs in Europe. Martinez is just 22 but is already an integral part of Sociedad's squad. The defender averages 1.3 tackles per game, makes at least 1.8 interceptions along with possessing a clearance ratio of 5.5% per game. Martinez is an excellent dribbler of the ball and is an excellent passer of the ball.
The centre back was also an important part of the Spain Under-21 team that lifted the European Under 21 Championship last year. Martinez will have to bulk up in order to be a better player in the Premier League but has what it takes to be a Chelsea player.
#4 Kyriakos Papadopoulos
The Greek youngster is another player who has the attention of some of Europe’s elite clubs. The 22-year-old has been ever present for Bundesliga club Schalke 04 since 2010, helping them win the DFB Pokai and DFL Supercup in 2011. Papadopoulos has been absent for more than a year due to a knee injury he picked up against Hamburg towards the end of 2012 but has made a strong return since then.
The defender was almost sold to Russian side Zenit St Petersberg for £16 million but the move was turned down as he wanted to stay in Germany for some more time. The Greece international has been an important part of his country’s squad since the age of 15 and his performances with the side have impressed clubs like Manchester United and Chelsea. The Blues might not want to waste any time and hence might make a move for this talented defender as soon as possible.
#5 Samuel Umtiti
The young Frenchman has been in the Lyon first team since 2011, making over 60 appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit and is considered to be one of the brightest prospects in France right now. Umtiti is very versatile and is capable of operating as a centre back or a left back.
The youngster excels at holding on to the ball, loves to dribble and is an expert passer with a pass success of 85.1% in the French league. The Frenchman has represented his country at youth levels and is now a part of France’s Under-21 team. Umtiti deserves a crack at the Premier League and Chelsea is the perfect team for him to display his skills.
