In the 2001/2 season, he played 47 times for the club in different competitions and has become an integral part of boss Claudio Ranieri's plans.

Ranieri has been responsible for bringing Terry from the youth ranks, even moving him ahead of French international Marcel Desailly in the defensive pecking order.

He was the club's young player of the year in his debut season in 1998/9, when he played a handful of times for former boss Gianluca Vialli.

But under Ranieri, and following an injury to fellow defender Frank Leboeuf, the 21-year-old has become increasingly confident at centre-half.

Indeed, he was named the club's player of the year for 2000/1, while Leboeuf was rapidly palmed off to Marseille.

Terry has captained England's Under-21s and is tipped as a future Chelsea skipper and England international.

Chelsea chairman Ken Bates has said of Terry in the past: "He's a great captain-to-be and I'm sure that one day he'll captain England, because the leadership qualities he shows are vital.

"He's one of England's top players for the future."

On the pitch, he is renowned as a no-nonsense player, powerful in the tackle and equally at ease on the ball.

Last season Terry signed a four-and-a-half year extension to his current deal to keep him at the club until the end of 2005.

But he did not make the club's pre-season trip to Italy after undergoing minor surgery on his knee.