Terry was wanted by Wenger (Picture: AMA/Getty Images)

Arsene Wenger previously attempted to seal the transfer of Chelsea captain John Terry, reports say.

The Frenchman paid a glowing tribute to the Blues skipper after the 35-year-old announced he was leaving Stamford Bridge.

Wenger believed that Terry was the perfect replacement for Tony Adams when the former Arsenal captain was set to leave the club.

And he made several attempts to land the England captain as a young player before the Roman Abramovich era kicked in, according to the Mirror.

‘He was not only a great player, he certainly still is, but he was also a great coach on the pitch,’ Wenger said.

Wenger paid a nice tribute to Terry (Picture: Getty Images)

‘I saw him here once at London Colney playing with the under-21s and the way he coached the team as a player was absolutely marvellous.

‘He was a real leader and he has had a great career as well, let’s not forget that.

‘That’s never a coincidence. The guys who last such a long time have something special.

‘He was the symbol of cohesion inside Chelsea’s club because him, Lampard, Drogba and Cech were the players who carried the club’s values for long periods. When you lose players like that you’re always in danger.

‘I see a coaching career in his future, certainly. He will remain in football, I’m sure.’

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