Chelsea's announcement that John Terry will remain at Stamford Bridge for another year is one of great significance for reasons beyond the icon’s future.
The deal brings an end to a long saga over the 35-year-old’s situation and the club's treatment of him, but it also marks incoming coach Antonio Conte's maiden involvement in first-team matters.
The news, of course, comes as a delight to the fans who protested his contract situation in the past two games against Liverpool and Leicester City, while the various first-team members who have voiced their support to him over recent months also receive a welcome boost.
Conte will take over at Chelsea for their pre-season tours of Austria and America after guiding Italy in Euro 2016 and had only previously visited his new employers once to briefly meet the players and staff - including the captain.
In the Chelsea fan's eyes, the 46-year-old manager will immediately go down as a popular figure as he is part of the resolution over the uncertainty that has hung over the club and its captain for months.
Football isn't all about sentiment, but this is a player who has won more trophies than any other in the London side's history and brought them the Champions League; as well as four Premier League titles in his 703 games and soon to be 22 years with the Blues.
Terry made no secret of his desire to stay put after he announced in February that he had not received a new contract offer. His devotion to the club has remained complete until the very end, reiterating to fans that he wanted to stay in his emotional post-match speech after the 1-1 draw with Leicester City at Stamford Bridge on the final day of the season. Before then, though, Chelsea were facing fan criticism for their handling of his expiring contract.
The man dubbed "Captain, Leader, Legend" by fans faced leaving under a black cloud after a red card against Sunderland in Chelsea's 3-2 defeat ruled him out of the remaining two matches of the season, with his side languishing in mid-table.
He now gets the opportunity to try and go out on a high under a new regime and with lessons learnt by the club on how not to follow up a title winning season as they will look to challenge for silverware and - at least - a fourth placed finish next season.
Terry will be able to give Conte a lot of support off the pitch during his transition to life in a new country and footballing culture, with the defender knowing the environment inside-out.
He can also inspire young first team players like Kurt Zouma and Matt Miazga and he represents a link to the successful team that won the Champions League despite, perhaps, his abilities on the pitch waning slightly.
The Azurri boss won't have trouble communicating with his captain as he has been taking English lessons and Terry is no-stranger to working with Italian coaches, having done so with Gianluca Vialli, Claudio Ranieri, Carlo Ancelloti and Roberto di Matteo.
SOURCE: GOAL
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