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John Terry’s career at Chelsea appears to be winding down, and Antonio Conte must start thinking about who is going to replace the veteran defender.

Indeed, the Evening Standard are reporting that his contract is not going to be renewed, so for the first time in a while, the prospect of Terry’s departure is a very likely and realistic proposition.

Chelsea aren’t blessed with defensive depth so a replacement is absolutely essential. And considering how many top defenders are currently honing their craft in Europe, Conte won’t be short of potential options.

He must look to weed out the best players from the pack, though, and he must ensure that he is picking the best option for the money that he will have available to him.

With that said, here are 3 players that could be signed to replace John Terry…

Antonio Rudiger

Antonio Rudiger suffered a long-term injury last season, but he’s come back well this year – and has already made 16 appearances in Serie A for Roma.

A strong, powerful defender, Rudiger would certainly fill the gap left behind by John Terry in that regard, though you could argue that he doesn’t have the leadership of the current Chelsea captain.

Indeed, what he does bring to the table that Terry lacks is mobility – with Rudiger very quick and agile at the back.

He would be an expensive option, but at just 24 years old, he would be a long-term solution.

Virgil van Dijk

If Antonio Conte is looking for a player that is ready-made for the Blues, Virgil van Dijk could be his man.

The Southampton defender has been one of the Premier League’s standout players in recent years, offering dynamic defending and an impressive aerial force at the heart of the Saints’ back line.

Indeed, he is also a regular captain of the side, so he could come in and take that role should Conte decide.

He differs from most options in that he already has Premier League experience, so there won’t be an adjustment period. Again, he would be an expensive option, but if Conte wants quick results, van Dijk could be his man.

Kalidou Koulibaly

Kalidou Koulbaily has been a long-term Chelsea target, and it is easy to see why.

He is strong, he is powerful, he can read the game fantastically, he is very quick and mobile and he’s been one of the most impressive defenders in Serie A this season.

Indeed, this option is a likely one, though you could argue that van Dijk would offer more than the Senegalese defender.

As reported by The Daily Record, Rangers striker and former Celtic man Kenny Miller fears that his time at Ibrox could be coming to an end.

He revealed that a contract offer has not been put to him and that he could have just six weeks left at the Light Blues.

As quoted by The Record, Miller said of contract talks:

Nothing has moved on at all. There has not been any chat. With a new manager coming in it’s kind of put that on hold a little bit. But, for me, you don’t really get to this stage in the season and not have things sorted. So it could be that I have only got six weeks left at Rangers.

A departure would call to an end a storied career in Glasgow that has seen him have three separate spells at Rangers, sandwiching a season at Celtic, which at one point made him one of the most controversial figures in Scottish football.

The second of his three stays at Ibrox was unarguably his most prolific but he was also a key figure in helping Rangers get promoted from the Championship, scoring 21 goals in all competitions last season.

With 9 goals this season, including one against the Hoops, he’s been one of the Gers’ top performers again in the top-flight.

Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the situation…

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Due to the big-money arrivals of some of his higher-profile team-mates last summer, Rob Holding’s move to Arsenal has gone largely unnoticed by the wider Premier League audience.

In fairness, opportunities to impress have been limited with twelve thus far across all competitions, but on the whole, the young Englishman has taken them to ensure he retains a place in Arsene Wenger’s long-term thinking.

Holding was part of the side that claimed a vital win over Middlesbrough last week but his most significant performance for the Gunners came on Sunday, as the north London outfit progressed to the final of the FA Cup with a closely contested 2-1 victory over Premier League rivals Manchester City.

Of course, hyping up a young player too soon is a recurring curse in the English game. But considering he was playing in a Bolton team that was heading for League One at this time last year, the 21-year-old’s display against City – the fourth-most potent side in the Premier League this term – once nothing short of fantastic.

As our infographic shows, Holding contributed heavily defensively, making the most clearances of any player on the pitch whilst chipping in with two tackles, one interception and one vital block. But it’s perhaps the former Wanderers youngster’s quality in possession that made him so effective on the left of Arsenal’s back three – and suggests he’s got a bright future ahead at top level.

Indeed, Holding finished up with the fourth-most touches of any Arsenal player and the most touches of any Arsenal defender, whilst completing four successful dribbles – never an easy task against a high-pressing Pep Guardiola side in a semi-final at Wembley.

With Wenger seemingly set on deploying a 3-4-3 until the end of the season, Holding included, the youngster has a fantastic chance in the coming weeks to show he must be a Gunners regular for 2017/18.

When Thibaut Courtois was joined on the sidelines by Marcos Alonso ahead of the weekend kick-off at Manchester United, Antonio Conte was surely nervous. To outside observers, Asmir Begovic is a sturdy back-up option to call upon and the Spanish wing-back is, albeit a good player, not the sort of star many would consider to be of integral quality to any league-chasing team, but it’s the effect of the caused disruption that would have increased the Italian’s heart-rate.

In itself, defeat at Man United’s Old Trafford home is by no means a catastrophe. Jose Mourinho’s squad is expensively assembled, filled with talented individuals and entered the match on the back of a 21-game unbeaten run in league action, but when coupled with the loss at the hands of Crystal Palace a few weeks ago it’s clear there are issues when the core nucleus of footballers Conte calls on is broken apart. Indeed, on that day at Stamford Bridge when the Eagles secured a shock 2-1 victory, Chelsea were without Victor Moses. As is the case with Alonso, the Nigerian, on paper, shouldn’t be a player that defines a team or a style of play, but with the Blues’ system so effective, it seems that the slightest adjustment causes havoc – and that certainly does not bode well for the return of European football in 2017/18.

Leicester found out the hard way that relying on a core of players is not always sustainable. While there are obvious differences between Chelsea and the Foxes both in terms of size and achievement, Claudio Ranieri utilised 23 first-team footballers in total across the 2015/16 league season as his side secured a historic title, while Conte’s Blues are on course to field just 22. And when the minutes played numbers are examined in this Chelsea squad it’s amazing to see that the 14th most regular appearance-maker is Branislav Ivanovic, who actually left the club to join Zenit Saint Petersburg over the winter, while Ola Aina, Nathaniel Chalobah and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have clocked a combined total of under two hours of game time. In fact, Begovic’s outing at Man United – his first of the league season – further dilutes the overall numbers used by Conte.

Circumstances have allowed the Londoners’ boss to do this and no one can argue with the results if they, as expected, get over the line to re-claim the title they so limply ‘defended’ last season. The amazing 13-game winning sequence between October and January was built on the solidity afforded by being able to field a regular XI and that will, in all likelihood, be looked back on as the defining spell of the campaign, but it’s worth remembering that a lack of European football and an early EFL Cup exit allowed for this, as well as a slice of luck on the injury front. It would be naive to put it down to good fortune and the hardiness of the Chelsea squad and the good work of their medical department must be praised, but would the absence of a key player or two during that period have altered the tide of the season? On recent evidence, it appears that may have been the case.

Champions League football is not mathematically guaranteed at Chelsea for 2017/18 just yet, but it’s effectively a certainty that Conte’s men will be balancing top-level continental football with the travails of continental action. Leicester’s domestic demise has been, in part, down to this, with Ranieri (and recently Craig Shakespeare) unable to field the same XI week in, week out, which has disrupted their rhythm. Chelsea will be in a far better position to keep their squad together – Leicester lost N’Golo Kante to the capital club, after all – and will be better placed than the King Power Stadium outfit to attract the sort of talent to further improve their squad, but the parallels are there.

Conte will need to find a way to cope. Whether that be buying players to suit the 3-4-3 set-up he turned to after that defeat to Arsenal in September or adding players he has a greater degree of trust in – Michy Batshuayi’s lack of game time despite his £30m+ price tag is a narrative that would have been discussed further if not for the good results – something needs to be done. It appears that the hard yards have been travelled and the buffer between themselves and Spurs should be too great to be knocked down, but Chelsea must ensure that Sunday’s Manchester United episode isn’t a vision of the future.

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According to reports in the Daily Mail, Chelsea are keen to re-sign Southampton defender Ryan Bertrand this summer.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Blues boss Antonio Conte is keen to bring in some competition for Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses in the wide positions this summer and the Italian believes that Bertrand would challenge the former for a first team spot.

The west London outfit sold the left-back to Saints for £10m in 2015 but they have shown that they aren’t afraid to buy players that they have sold previously having done the same with Nemanja Matic and then David Luiz last summer.

How has Bertrand done this season?

He has done really well and is a key player for the south coast outfit.

The 27-year-old has scored two goals – including a late consolation in his side’s 4-2 defeat against Chelsea on Tuesday night – and provided a further four assists in 24 Premier League appearances this term.

While he is a real threat going forward he is also reliably defensively, and that is something that means he will be a perfect fit for the left side of Conte’s preferred 3-4-3 formation.

How much would he cost?

If Bertrand did want out, then Southampton would be looking to at least double the money they paid for the 27-year-old when they bought him two years ago.

Would he want to move to Stamford Bridge?

If he was to be guaranteed first team football, then yes he would.

That was one of the reasons he left Chelsea on a permanent deal in the first place and he would want assurances from Conte that he would be a regular in the side before making the move.

What’s the verdict, then?

With Southampton having no European football next season and Bertrand looking to establish himself as England’s first-choice left-back he could be looking to make a move to a bigger club this summer.

He would certainly fit into the current Chelsea system if they are willing to pay the south coast side’s asking price.

As reported by The Daily Record, Rangers have failed to offer Barrie McKay a revised contract offer after he rejected a deal back in February.

What’s the story?

McKay was on the scoresheet for the second time in two weeks at the weekend, knocking in a vital second goal against Hearts in a 2-1 win at Ibrox.

Now he’s lifted the lid on his situation at the club after Pedro Caixinha called for a resolution on his future last week. McKay’s stance is simple, he can’t give his boss an answer because the club haven’t offered him new terms.

As quoted by The Daily Record, the winger said:

My agent spoke to the club a while ago but they haven’t come back to us again since then. It’s up to them now. This is where I want to stay. It’s a big club and despite having ups and downs, I have enjoyed every minute at Rangers. I’ve read that because I’ve not signed I must want away. It’s not like that but the fans might read it like that. It’s important they know the truth.

While it will be heartening for Gers fans to hear McKay remains committed to the club, it will also be slightly concerning that Ibrox chiefs haven’t exactly been quick to tie the 22 year old down.

With just a year left on his contract, it’s time to either get him signed up or try and receive some sort of fee for him when the transfer window opens this summer.

Worth the fuss?

On his day Barrie McKay is undoubtedly the brightest talent at Ibrox and in the first half of the season showed a consistency that suggest he could be a star for years to come at the club. However since the turn of the year and since rejecting a contract in February, he’s been off the boil and has frustrated some supporters.

It led to him spending a few games on the bench, a move by Pedro Caixinha that seems to have paid off. He come on as a substitute against Partick Thistle and scored a vital goal and as mentioned, a week later got a huge goal against Hearts.

If the club can get him to commit and he manages to find a happy place at Ibrox then the good football will follow and that could make the difference for the Light Blues next season. Continued inaction on the contract front will only lead to problems.

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Leicester City only signed forward Ahmed Musa for a club-record £16m fee last summer, but he could already be on his way out of the King Power Stadium following a disappointing debut season in England.

The Foxes would have hoped that the 24-year-old would spearhead their attempt to retain their first ever Premier League title and help them progress in the Champions League, but it hasn’t really happened with the likes of Jamie Vardy and Islam Slimani often preferred.

Musa played just 752 minutes of top flight football – scoring two goals – while he netted four goals in 32 matches in all competitions.

West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic is looking to sign at least one new forward this summer with continued fitness doubts over Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho, and despite a disappointing spell at Leicester the Croatian could be tempted to make a move for the former CSKA Moscow man.

Here are three reasons West Ham should take a punt on signing Musa this summer…

Goals

While he may have struggled for goals since joining Leicester, Musa’s previous career stats suggest that this is the unusual season in that regard.

Prior to his move to the Foxes, the 24-year-old scored 17 goals in 40 matches in all competitions for CSKA Moscow during the 2015/16 season, while he netted 11 the year before.

It may have been a pre-season fixture, but the Nigeria international showed his ability during a 2-1 win against Barcelona last summer and he certainly looks to still have something to offer.

Pace

Without the likes of Diafra Sakho and Michail Antonio, there is little pace throughout the West Ham side and it has shown at times throughout a disappointing campaign for the Irons.

Slaven Bilic’s men are certainly missing that speed – whether it be when they are on the front foot or on the counter-attack – and it will be something that the Croatian is looking to put right over the course of the summer.

Musa certainly has that in abundance, and he could prove to be a useful weapon for the Hammers next season.

Unpredictability

Prior to his controversial exit during the January transfer window, Dimitri Payet provided that unpredictability for West Ham and they have certainly been missing that spark throughout the second half of the campaign – the side has often looked pedestrian in recent weeks.

Musa certainly has the ability to dribble with the ball and unlock defences, and he is a player that can gets the fans off of the seats and to help improve what has often been a disappointing atmosphere at the Iron’s new London Stadium home this term.

Do you agree, Irons fans? Let us know below.

According to reports in the Evening Standard, Chelsea are ready to demand more than £10m in compensation from Premier League rivals Liverpool for young forward Dominic Solanke, but they would likely get less if the case goes to a tribunal.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the 19-year-old agreed to leave Stamford Bridge and make the move to Anfield last month after his contract expired, but because he is under the age of 24 the Blues are entitled to a fee.

The Evening Standard says the west London outfit rejected Liverpool’s initial £3m offer, and after Solanke starred at the Under-20 World Cup – finishing as the second top goalscorer at the tournament with four goals to help the young Three Lions lift the trophy – they will now ask for more than £10m.

If the Merseyside outfit refuse to pay that, the final fee will be decided by a tribunal who will likely take his performances at the World Cup into consideration.

Will Liverpool pay that?

Considering they initially offered £3m, they are extremely unlikely to pay more than £10m before the tribunal, as they will be well aware that the forward could be valued at a lower price than that.

What arguments would Chelsea have then?

Well, the Evening Standard says they paid £6.5m to sign Daniel Sturridge from Manchester City in a similar situation in 2010 – as Liverpool did with Danny Ings too – but they are ready to argue that Solanke has already achieved more at youth level then the now Liverpool striker ever did.

The 19-year-old has won more than 50 caps for England at youth level and made his debut in the Champions League at the age of just 17.

Despite the fact that his is only first team appearance for the Blues, he did play 25 times on loan at Vitesse Arnhem last season.

And having joined the Blues academy at Under-8 level, they will argue that they have trained the attacker to be the promising young player he is right now.

What’s the verdict, then?

Well, with Liverpool unlikely to stump up more than £10m a tribunal looks likely, and with Chelsea having their defence ready it will be interesting to see what the final fee is, although it seems unlikely to be that much considering past cases.

According to reports on Italian website Calciomercato.com, Everton have launched an €18m (approximately £15.8m) offer for AC Milan striker M’Baye Niang.

Toffees director of football Steve Walsh was spotted in Milan on Wednesday by Italian Sky Sport reporter Gianluca Di Marzio according to his Twitter account, adding further fuel to the fire.

Ronald Koeman is looking to strengthen his squad this summer and is particularly keen to sign new forward players considering he has already lost Arouna Kone and Enner Valencia, and with doubts remaining over the future of Romelu Lukaku.

Now the Dutchman is said to have submitted a bid for Niang, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Premier League rivals Watford, scoring two goals and providing a further two assists in 16 appearances.

Everton supporters were quick to have their say on the rumour via social media, and many were far from impressed as they don’t believe the striker is good enough.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Chelsea fans are thrilled by reports that the club are closing in on the signing of Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk.

The Dutchman was thought to be on his way to Liverpool, but after being accused of tapping up the 25-year-old, the Merseyside outfit issued an apology and withdrew their interest.

That seemingly opened the door for the Blues, who according to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, have placed Van Dijk at the top of their wishlist.

The reporter has stated that the Premier League champions plan to spend £60m on the defender, who has been at Southampton for the past two years.

If the transfer does materialise, then the first-team places of Gary Cahill, Cesar Azpilicueta and David Luiz will be called into question.

The trio managed to adapt to Conte’s 3-4-3 system, but if Van Dijk joins, then he is likely to be thrown into the starting lineup.

Plenty of Chelsea fans are delighted by the prospect of bringing the defender to Stamford Bridge this summer.