Chelsea transfer news: Bournemouth 'line up shock loan move' for John Terry

With the 36-year-old's contract up in the summer, a move to the south coast could be an opportunity to extend his career

Terry has made just five league appearances for Chelsea this season (Getty)

Bournemouth are reportedly lining up an audacious bid to take John Terry on loan for the rest of the season.

Manager Eddie Howe is looking for defensive cover after Chelsea recalled Nathan Ake from his loan spell and is now hoping to lure the 36-year-old Terry the other way, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Although he led the club he joined 22 years ago to four Premier League titles, five FA Cups (four as captain) and the Champions League, he has struggled for game time under new manager Antonio Conte.

Signing the former England captain would represent the biggest transfer coup in Bournemouth's history, although there is reported to be some hesitancy on the player's part.

Terry expressed his joy earlier this season that Chelsea were winning games without him in the team, suggesting that he is happy to sit on the bench.

"In the best possible way, this season, and it's going to sound crazy, but if I don't get back in the team it means that Chelsea are winning, and at the minute we are not conceding goals, it possibly means we're going to win the league," he said.

"In the nicest way, I hope I don't get back into the team, because we carry on winning football matches."

Terry was sent off against Peterborough in the FA Cup third round tie on Sunday which marked his first-team comeback after injury and had an appeal against his red card rejected by the FA.

With that one-game ban and Ake's return to Stamford Bridge, Terry could fall even further down in the pecking order and a loan with a view to a permanent deal could be tempting for an ageing player whose contract runs out at the end of the season.