Chelsea will struggle to find a John Terry replacement, admits Asmir Begovic

Chelsea will have to look long and hard to find a replacement for departing legend John Terry, according to Asmir Begovic.

The captain, leader, legend has announced he will be leaving Stamford Bridge in the summer bring to an end to his long love-affair with the club.

Terry has won everything during his time in west London, collecting Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, League Cup and FA Cup medals.

READ MORE: Why Man United signing John Terry is not as crazy as it sounds

READ MORE: Gossip – Diego Costa’s ‘head turned by China’, Zlatan ‘for LA’, Douglas Costa ‘to Spurs’

READ MORE: Five things we learned from Barcelona’s defeat to Juventus

Many have argued the former England skipper is the Premier League’s greatest ever defender, a claim supported by Begovic, and it is hard to disagree.

He is the competition’s leading defender in the scoring charts and his influence extends far beyond the field into the dressing room at the Bridge.

Finding another Terry is no easy task and Begovic will miss being able to call upon the veteran centre-back for advice at Chelsea.

READ MORE: Wilkins picks a new club for Chelsea legend Terry

READ MORE: Gossip – Scramble for Terry, Wenger ‘almost certain’ to stay

“It’s always difficult to see any player like John Terry leave given what he has achieved and the time he has been at the club,” Begovic told Yahoo Sport UK.

“Unfortunately, that’s the way the world works. It will be a big change for everyone at the club and his will be big, big shoes to fill.

“He leads by example every single day and he’s been great for this team. His work-rate is amazing.

“He is the best Premier League defender ever and one of the best to ever put a Chelsea shirt on.

He will be a big miss but at the moment he’s still our captain and has a big role to play for us in the dressing room.”

Terry is expected to be one of many famous faces turning out for a charity golf day hosted by The Asmir Begovic Foundation this June.

Begovic is excited about picking up a set of clubs and raising both money and awareness for a cause that is very close to his heart.

“The Asmir Begovic Foundation was set up three-and-a-half years ago and our goal is to build sports facilities in Bosnia & Herzegovina and in England to try and give kids more opportunities to get active,” Begovic added.

“It is especially important in Bosnia because facilities have become disrupted because of what has happened in the past.

“We’re trying to be part of the building process and give children opportunities through sport. I was very lucky growing up and things worked out for me, so it’s nice to be able to give back to the next generation and to hopefully inspire them to do great things.

“I like a bit of golf. We’re doing it in June so the weather should be great and lots of people will come out. Hopefully it is a success and it can become an annual event for the Foundation.

“As much as it’s about raising funds, it’s about raising awareness about the situation in Bosnia and sport in England the UK. It allows us to spread our powerful message and improve things. We’ve got a great field with people like Jamie Redknapp, John Terry, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Dawson and lots of others.”

For more information on the Asmir Begovic Foundation and the Golf Classic on 12th June visit www.asmirbegovicfoundation.com