John Terry extends his contract with newly-promoted Aston Villa

John Terry has expressed his delight after extending his contract with Aston Villa for the next couple of seasons. Terry’s assistant position with the Villains had come under question with his contract expiring at the end of the month but he has now decided to commit his future by penning a two-year deal with the west Midlands side.

Speaking to the club’s official website, the former Chelsea captain said that he is thankful to the club’s board and manager Dean Smith after being handed the chance to work with them. He added that the Villains are now heading for a testing challenge and they must prepare for the same as they seek to beat the Premier League drop at the first coming.

He told: “I’m delighted to have extended my contract. I’m very thankful to the club and to the gaffer, Dean Smith, for giving me the opportunity to work with him and learn from him day-in, day-out. However, the hard work starts again now. We’re back in the Premier League where we belong. Now tougher challenges are ahead, as we focus on making our mark on the most competitive league in the world.”

Villa were reliant on Tammy Abraham to produce the good upfront at different stages of the season and the England international ended the campaign with 25 goals in the Championship. However, they may not be able to retain the striker’s services during the forthcoming campaign, considering he should return to parent club Chelsea, who are under a transfer embargo.

The west London giants are currently not permitted to make any signings for the next two transfer windows and that may urge them to keep hold of Abraham rather than permitting him to re-join the Villains on either a season-long loan or permanent deal. The 21-year-old has made just league appearances for the Blues to date.