Pulis hints at fresh Terry approach in summer

West Bromwich Albion could make another attempt to sign John Terry this summer after Tony Pulis admitted that he had tried to recruit the Chelsea club captain in January.

Pulis, the West Brom head coach, confirmed yesterday’s story that West Brom were among the clubs keen to sign the 36-year-old in the last transfer window. Now, with Terry ready to consider moves to other Premier League clubs when his Stamford Bridge contract expires at the end of the season, Pulis could again try to persuade him to move to the Midlands.

“In January he wanted to stay with Chelsea,” Pulis said. “He wanted to stay there and be part of going out as a champion.

“If he becomes available in the summer we’ll sit down and have a little think about what we’ve got and what we haven’t got and we’ll take it from there.

“That is for the summer, not now, and whether the situation changes, whether other people are involved or whether he signs another contract at Chelsea. I’ve always thought he was a good player.”

Pulis is likely to have a vacancy in his squad for at least one centre back in the summer with Jonas Olsson, the Sweden international, expected to be released after nine years at The Hawthorns. Gareth McAuley is expected to sign a one-year contract extension to keep him at the club past his 38th birthday.

Today’s trip to Everton will match McAuley up against former team-mate Romelu Lukaku, who scored 17 goals for West Brom in a one-season loan spell as a teenager before moving to Goodison Park from Chelsea.

“He was quite low on confidence when he came here from Chelsea,” McAuley said. “That soon changed and he showed what a fantastic player he was here.

“He’s still well-liked and respected amongst the players here and the supporters take to him every time he comes back.

“He’s a handful, a goalscorer as well, so when we play against him we’ll have to be at our best.”