Terry confirms commitment to Chelsea

Chelsea captain John Terry has confirmed he is "totally committed" to the Stamford Bridge side.

The England skipper, 28, has responded to persistent reports linking him with a big money move to Manchester City by releasing a statement in which he insists he has never contemplated leaving Chelsea.

The statement said: "There has been a lot of speculation recently about my future and I want to clear this up once and for all.

"I am totally committed to Chelsea and always have been.

"Chelsea have also made it clear to me consistently that there was never any intention to accept any kind of offer."

Terry admitted to having a high regard for City boss Mark Hughes but decided to make public his determination to stay with Chelsea after "numerous discussions" with owner Roman Abramovich convinced him that the Russian's ambitions matched his own.

The defender, who has only ever played for Chelsea, wanted to be assured that he and other key personnel would be secured.

Terry has also said he was impressed by Carlo Ancelotti's appointment as manager.

The statement continued: "When you are linked with any club or with a manager who I have huge respect for, it will always make headlines but me leaving Chelsea was never a possibility.

"I know there has been comment that I should have made a statement earlier.

"However, throughout this period there have been numerous discussions between myself, the owner and the Chelsea board and we all agreed that the timing of any statement would suit everyone involved in those talks, not any outside influences or agendas.

"What is clear to me following those discussions is that Chelsea's ambition remains as high as ever.

"This has been further proved by the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti. I am certain that he will take this club on to the next level.

"Another important factor was knowing that Chelsea would be securing key current players for the long term. The strengthening of the squad around this core is crucial to pushing us on to greater success.

"I am as committed as ever to helping drive Chelsea forward and I will be proud to lead the team as long as I can."