Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has refused to confirm whether or not John Terry will start his final Premier League game for the club at home to Sunderland on Sunday.
Chelsea welcome the relegated Black Cats to Stamford Bridge for what is expected to be Terry's 717th and last match of his 22-year career at the club.
The 36-year-old was handed his first start since September during Monday night's 4-3 win over Watford, scoring his 67th goal for the club in the process, but Conte suggested that he has not yet made a decision regarding whether he will keep his place in the side.
"John is a champion and he deserves the best. It will be a surprise. It's important to make the best decision and to find the best solution for him, for his career. He's a legend for this club and in this season he has been very important to win this title. For this reason I think I have to take my time and to make the best decision for him," he told reporters.
"John has all the possibilities to continue his career. We all know that he is preferring to play regularly and for this reason he has decided to leave. He wants to play regularly, every week. I think he has the possibility to do this, because he's still strong. I think in the moment I called him to play he showed this.
"When you arrive at this point of your career it's very important to feel yourself, to feel your body, to feel your mind, to feel if you have still desire, still will to fight to arrive every day and work very hard. If you feel this, it's right to continue to play, to continue your career. John has all these characteristics."
Terry will lift his 15th major honour as Chelsea captain when his side are awarded the Premier League trophy following Sunday's game.
