Chelsea legend Frank Lampard says John Terry still has plenty to offer the club and believes the captain should be given a new contract.
Influential skipper Terry announced in the aftermath of Chelsea's 5-1 FA Cup fourth-round win at MK Dons on January 31 that his career-long association with the club will end when his deal expires at the end of the season.
The situation was cast in some doubt, though, when Chelsea responded with a statement claiming that the former England defender could yet be offered new terms.
Terry subsequently stressed he is eager to stay, but the centre-back revealed there had been no communication with Chelsea.
Lampard, who played alongside Terry for 13 years between 2001 and 2014 at Stamford Bridge, wants Chelsea to prolong the 35-year-old's stay and is sure his former team-mate's experience can prove invaluable next season.
"I would like to see them offer it," he said in an interview with Shortlist magazine. "I think it's obvious John wants it and I think he can still stay at Chelsea.
"Of course I'm friends with John, but purely from a football perspective and from what he's done on the pitch, and as a starting player in all their big and important games when he’s started them this season, I think he's been their best defender this year.
"What John offers is a link with the fans and an appreciation of the young players who he would want to help come through. He's Mr Chelsea. Those are the sorts of players you need at the club.
"Without telling the club what to do, I think Chelsea are looking to change the old nucleus we had, what with myself, Ashley [Cole], Didier [Drogba] and Petr [Cech] gone, John's almost the last one standing.
"But I don't think he's going to be an issue with that - he'll even help the transition with helping the younger players. I don't think Chelsea will make decisions for the wrong reasons but if I was there, that’s the message I’ll be saying."
