Terry: I am staying at Chelsea

The club captain releases a statement saying that he is not interested in a move to Manchester City.

Chelsea captain John Terry ended weeks of incessant speculation linking him with a move to Manchester City by releasing a statement confirming his commitment to the club. In a statement released on Chelsea's website, Terry said: "There has been a lot of speculation recently about my future and I want to clear this up once and for all. I am totally committed to Chelsea and always have been. Chelsea have also made it clear to me consistently that there was never any intention to accept any kind of offer. "When you are linked with any club, or with a manager who I have huge respect for, it will always make headlines but me leaving Chelsea was never apossibility." Many spectators would say that Terry could have ended such speculation by speaking out earlier, but the defender, 28, said: "I know there has been comment that I should have made a statement earlier. However, throughout this period there have been numerous discussions between myself, the owner and the Chelsea board and we all agreed that the timing of any statement would suit everyone involved in those talks, not any outside influences or agendas." He added: "I'm as committed as ever to helping drive Chelsea forward and I'll be proud to lead the team for as long as I can." Elsewhere, Portsmouth have accepted a reported £10 million (Dh60m) offer from Tottenham for striker Peter Crouch, according to his manager Paul Hart. Despite the club's recent takeover by Emirati businessman Sulaiman al Fahim, Hart claimed that the club's financial situation meant they had no choice but to accept the bid. "I think people need to realise that Pompey have been punching way above their weight," Hart told The Sunday Mirror. * With agencies