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John Terry: Chelsea know I want to stay

John Terry said talks over his Chelsea future are ongoing but confirmed he wants to end his career at Stamford Bridge.

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Terry, who made his Chelsea debut in 1998, is out of contract at the end of the season and has yet to reach an agreement over an extension.

However, he told a news conference ahead of the Blues’ Champions League semifinal second leg against Atletico Madrid: “Clearly, I want to stay for the rest of my footballing days.

“At the minute we're in talks and it's ongoing. I'm hoping it gets done. It's down to the club. They know I want to stay.”

Terry, 33, has enjoyed a highly successful season following the return of coach Jose Mourinho, who said earlier this month he was confident a new deal would be agreed.

The centre-back established himself as one of the finest defenders in the world during Mourinho’s first stint at Chelsea, and the Portuguese believes he is back to his best.

“My captain is playing at the same level he was playing when I left Chelsea in 2007, as simple as that,” Mourinho said. “Seven years later, he's playing again at his best. At his best level. It's fair to say that.”

Terry -- fit to face Atletico after recovering from the ankle injury he sustained during the first leg last week -- credited Mourinho for the role he has played in his revival.

Terry said: “He's very honest and tells you straight -- if you're playing well you'll keep your place. After we played Man United, I got Man of the Match and then got left out of the Munich game [UEFA Super Cup] and felt a bit puzzled by it. He told me the other guys deserved to play because they played in the Europa League final and, as a player, all you can ask for from your manager is honesty.

“When he gives you that, you can't sulk. You have to get on with it, dust yourself down and fight for your place again the next week. That's what he does, not just with me but the whole squad.

“He has the respect of everyone, not only the players, but the staff and everybody at the training ground. He gets that because of his knowledge and the amount of work he puts into the training sessions. He's the first one there in the mornings and often the last to go.

“We love him to bits. We realise he's been very successful for a reason -- he demands 100 per cent every day in training and if you're not giving that he'll let you know. We accept that and we enjoy working with him.”