Stoke manager Mark Hughes has admitted that he held talks with out-of-favour Chelsea captain John Terry about the possibility of giving the defender regular football away from Stamford Bridge.
The 36-year-old is in his final season at Chelsea. But he has struggled for game time under new boss Antonio Conte, with his last Premier League appearance coming back in November.
Terry has been limited to only 10 outings in all competitions this season, with a back three of Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz and Gary Cahill the league-leaders' preferred combination.
And ahead of Stoke's clash with Chelsea on Saturday, Hughes claims he held discussions with the former England captain about the possibility of giving him first team football at the bet365 Stadium.