Chelsea signs Terry to record contract

English Chelsea has broken the bank to sign captain John Terry, with what is reportedly the largest contract in Premier League history.

Terry has been signed on for five years, at a clip of GBP 7 million a year, up even from a GBP 67,000-a-week contract that he currently had. That will now nearly double in size for a player whose absence with a back problem at the end of last season hurt the club.

The salary, coming after months of tense negotiation, is larger than the GBP 121,000-a-week ones for midfielder Michael Ballack and striker Andriy Shevchenko. Those two players make slightly more than Liverpool's Steven Gerrard (GBP 120,000) and Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo.

"I have been at Chelsea all my career and have the privilege of being captain," Terry said. "Now it's time to look forward to the new season, which we are all very confident about."

Now the club can turn its attention to midfielder Frank Lampard, who has two years remaining on his current deal. Lampard could technically buy out the remainder of his contract under new FIFA legislation, but his agents say he remains committed to Chelsea.

Premier League top earners (weekly wage):
- John Terry (Chelsea) GBP 135,000
- Andriy Shevchenko (Chelsea) GBP 121,000
- Michael Ballack (Chelsea) GBP 121,000
- Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) GBP 120,000
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester Utd) GBP 119,000
- Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd) GBP 110,000
- Michael Owen (Newcastle) GBP 110,000
- Frank Lampard (Chelsea) GBP 100,000
- Rio Ferdinand (Manchester Utd) GBP 100,000
- Fernando Torres (Liverpool) GBP 90,000
- Didier Drogba (Chelsea) GBP 90,000
- Jamie Carragher (Liverpool) GBP 80,000
- Michael Essien (Chelsea) GBP 80,000
- Kieron Dyer (Newcastle) GBP 80,000

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.