John Terry makes a dramatic U-turn about move to Russia

What's the story?

John Terry has turned down a move to Russian Premier League club, Spartak Moscow citing family reasons as the reason for not wanting to complete the transfer. The former England and Chelsea centre-back announced his decision on Instagram late on Wednesday afternoon.

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It was widely reported that Terry would join Spartak Moscow on an initial 12-month contract with an option for an additional year last week. The 37-year-old even flew out to Rome to complete a medical with the Russian club last weekend.

Having become a free agent this summer after his contract at Aston Villa expired, Terry was expected to be announced as the latest signing for Spartak this week. The former England captain was viewed as quite a coup for the Russian club despite his advanced age.

The heart of the matter

However, it seems that Terry has now made a surprise U-turn following his announcement on Instagram. The father of two cited family reasons for not wanting to move to Russia, saying in a statement:

"After considerable thought, I have decided to decline a contract offer from Spartak Moscow.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank Spartak and wish them and their supporters well for the rest of the season. They are an ambitious club and I have been very impressed with their professionalism.

But after assessing this move with my family, we've decided this is not the right move for ourselves at this time. Good luck Spartak."

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What's next?

Terry remains a free agent and will continue looking for a new club, most likely closer to home. While rumours of a move to Manchester United and a reunion with Jose Mourinho seem far-fetched, a much more likely scenario is a return to Villa Park for the remainder of the season.

In a recent interview with the Daily Mail, Terry hinted that Aston Villa is his preferred destination and that he has unfinished business there following last season's defeat in the Championship play-off final to Fulham. He told the newspaper:

"The manager, players and supporters were incredible with me but I hate losing and I feel there is unfinished business there."