"?Former French International and Chelsea captain Marcel Desailly has queried John Terry's announcement that he will be signing a one-year contract extension under new manager Antonio Conte, saying "it's great to experience life after Chelsea."
Veteran defender Terry was expected to be leaving Stamford Bridge this summer, however the 35-year-old accepted Conte's offer of a new one-year contract last month, and will take part in Chelsea's 2016/17 campaign.
Despite understanding Conte's decision to keep hold of his former team-mate, Desailly, who left Chelsea after six seasons at Stamford Bridge in 2004, expressed his desire to see Terry experience a different surrounding in football, telling "?Press Association Sport:
"He is still the leader and maybe Conte met him and realised that John is still ready to sacrifice everything for the club.
"John doesn't have to be first choice but keeping him is good for the continuity of the team.
"So I am very happy for him but it would also have been good for him to experience something else."
The World Cup winning Frenchman moved to Qatari outfit Al-Gharafa after his Chelsea departure, winning the league title, and spoke of the advantages not just for him, but for other players who had also made the decision to try something new in football:
"I know from my own experience that it's good on a personal level and for your family.
"My message to him would be that it's great to experience another country, another life.
"I was talking to (former Real Madrid striker) Raul about it recently and he said (moving to the US) was good for him and his kids.
"And Frank Lampard never thought he'd leave (Chelsea) but he went to America and he's seen another approach to life."
Terry was continually linked to various footballing clubs from around the world during the last few months of the 2015/16 campaign, including China, America and the Middle East, but has been persuaded to stay by Conte, who will be looking to Terry for his leadership and experience after enduring a disastrous period last season.
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