5 Players who can replace John Terry at Chelsea

While Raphael Varane and Alessio Romagnoli easily make it to the list, take a look at the other three we have here; two of them English. . . 

The world of football was stunned when John Terry announced that this would be his final season at Chelsea football club. After spending almost two decades there, Terry would be bidding adieu to Stamford Bridge as he ventures somewhere else in football. Popularly termed 'Captain, Leader, Legend' by the Blue fans, Terry has been the rock that has held the club together and one of the prime reasons for their success over the years. Ever since breaking into the first team in 2000/01, Terry has been the foundation stone of the Chelsea team over the years, leading them to numerous titles. Incoming and outgoing managers might have changed a plenty at the club, but Terry has been ever-present. The Englishman finally lost his place in the side as Italian coach Antonio Conte brought his much-favoured 3-4-3 to London. 

The departure of Terry will be a hard blow for Chelsea, who will look to replace this seemingly irreplaceable player. They need to find a young leader who can usher them to equal glory in the future. We take a look at 5 players who could replace the legendary centre-back. 5. Ben Gibson It will be a Herculean task for the Blues to replace Terry with an Englishman, but Ben Gibson is definitely an option. The 6'1" defender has been Middlesbrough's best defender this season, having played in 33 league games this season. Gibson has helped them to 10 clean sheets, impressive for a side which has a terrible defensive record.

Middlesbrough might be favourites to be relegated this season, but Gibson has heroically salvaged many a point for them. The defender is amazing in the air and has some impressive stats for a young player. His ability to clear dangers and play a highly influential figure at the back makes him someone Chelsea should definitely scout as a replacement for their captain. 4. Alessio Romagnoli Alessio Romagnoli has been turning many eyes onto him with his amazing displays in Serie A. The young Italian has been superb ever since joining AC  Milan in 2015 and has developed as one of the best defensive talents in Italy. Romagnoli is a composed centre-back who is renowned for his ability to play out of the back and versatility. Romagnoli can play at left-back as well and has all the necessary skills for a complete defender with superb positioning sense and tackling ability. Even though his counterpart Gianluigi Donnarumma has been

Even though his teammate Gianluigi Donnarumma has been flooded with praises for Milan's 11 clean sheets this season, Romagnoli has been a prime reason for Milan's defensive success. The Italian has been touted as the next Alessandro Nesta by many and that is enough to convince Chelsea to get him to replace a legend like John Terry. Antonio Conte's Italian connection is sure to play a major role if this deal goes through.  3. Aymeric Laporte Aymeric Laporte has been one of the most promising defenders in Europe for some time now, having been courted by Manchester United in the past. Laporte has been a pillar in Athletic Bilbao's defence for the past couple of seasons and the French defender has slowly but surely become one of the most compelling defenders in the world. He has been on song this season, having helped Bilbao to 11 clean sheets in the La Liga.

With his superb tackling and positional skills, he is a complete centre back who can also pass the ball really well and is an asset in set-pieces as well. Laporte is only 22 right now, but he's the perfect guy to be the 'next John Terry' for Chelsea and despite having a hefty price tag, he could easily benefit the London side in the long run.  2. Mason Holgate There are not many English defenders who can replace the legendary John Terry at Chelsea, but Everton's Mason Holgate has shown the promise of something really big. Holgate broke into Everton's team earlier this season and has been on a roll, showing a lot of composure at the back. Holgate is a strong, clever defender who can develop into a brilliant defender if he's under the right guidance and Chelsea could create a legend of their own if they replace Terry with someone like Holgate.

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Antonio Conte is one of the better men for grooming defenders in world football right now. The Everton defender has it all in his arsenal to succeed at a big club. He has shown how good he can be in crucial games this season and should be considered as a potential replacement for John Terry and keep the English backline alive in London. 1. Raphael Varane While there might be many promising defenders in the market right now, none are really as good as Raphael Varane. The French defender has proved all his hype over the years by developing into one of the best defenders in the world at Real Madrid as well as for his national team. His hard-hitting nature along with his leadership skills and ability to play the ball out of defense makes him an asset for any team.

Chelsea will need to replace John Terry with someone who can become as good(if not better) than Terry himself and they should look to sign Varane who is still not getting regular games at Madrid despite his amazing work. Bringing Varane as a replacement for Terry could be a rewarding one for the club because The French defender can easily be the team's defensive foundation for the next decade or so and become the next leader to usher Chelsea into future glory.