Out of contract Terry lined up by Galatasaray boss Mancini as he bids to strengthen in January

John Terry is on a preliminary list of January transfer targets compiled by Galatasaray manager Roberto Mancini, although a move for the Chelsea captain has yet to be approved by the board of the Turkish champions.

Terry is out of contract at the end of the season and Mancini has made it his priority to strengthen the centre of his defence.

Galatasaray have promised to back their new manager with the funds for an adventurous recruitment drive but there is a strict quota of no more than six foreign players named in each match-day squad for the Turkish league.

Target: John Terry is on a preliminary list of transfer targets for Roberto Mancini at Galatasaray - the defender is out of contract at the end of the season

Adventurous: Mancini is looking to make a number of moves to strengthen the defending Turkish champions

Age policy: Terry has been a stalwart in the defence since the return of Jose Mourinho, but Chelsea have a policy of offering no more than one-year extension deals to over-30s

Since the return of Jose Mourinho, 32-year-old Terry has been restored as the mainstay of Chelsea’s defence but the club have a policy of offering no more than a one-year contract extensions to any players over-30.
Both Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard signed one-year deals in the summer and will also be out of contract at the end of this season.

The appeal of Galatasaray for Terry would be a long, lucrative deal, offering greater financial security, the chance to team up again with former team-mate Didier Drogba and the guarantee of Champions League football as both main rivals Besiktas and Fenerbahce will still be serving a UEFA ban next season.

It is hard to imagine, however, that he might turn his back on Mourinho if he was asked to stay, and the interest from Galatasaray can only help hasten potential talks over a new contract at Stamford Bridge.

Old pals: Didier Drogba is currently at the Turkish club

Only last month, ahead of a Champions League game away to Schalke, Terry claimed he owed everything to the manager who returned to the West London club from Real Madrid in the summer.

'My career is where it is because of this man sitting next to me. I’m very proud to be working with him again,' said the Chelsea skipper, with a nod to Mourinho.

'When it was announced that Jose was coming back, from the word go I was excited. With the injuries I had last year, I needed to hit the ground running and come back fit. So I came back a week early for pre-season and made sure I was ready.

'I tried to impress him from day one. Thankfully, that has worked and I’m in the side and I’m happy with my form.'

If Terry moved to Turkey he would once again line up opposite Anton Ferdinand - whom Terry was acquitted of racially abusing - who plays for Antalyaspor.

One club man: It's difficult to see Terry rejecting the chance to stay at Stamford Bridge, should Mourinho want him