Soccer-Chelsea leave door open for Terry at Stamford Bridge

By Mike Collett LONDON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Chelsea have left the door open for John Terry at Stamford Bridge despite the skipper announcing that he is leaving when his contract expires at the end of the season. Terry, 35, has made almost 700 appearances for Chelsea and is the most successful captain in club history, leading the Blues to success in the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Europa League and Champions League. But the central defender said after Sunday's 5-1 FA Cup win over Milton Keynes Dons that there would not be a "fairytale ending" to his career as he was "not going to retire at Chelsea". The club, however, indicated that Terry's impending departure was not set in stone and that he could be offered the chance to stay on at Stamford Bridge in the coming months. "John requested a meeting with the club the week before last," a Chelsea spokesperson said in a statement released by Talksport's Ian Abrahams on Twitter. "In that meeting he asked about the possibility of an extension to his existing contract. "John was advised that while no new deal was currently on the table, that situation could change in the coming months. "The club has the utmost respect for John and everything he has helped us to achieve to date. He is a fantastic servant of Chelsea Football Club and a superb captain and, as such, the club will keep the channels of dialogue open." (Writing by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru)