John Terry leaves the country

Chelsea defender John Terry has reportedly left the country following the furore surrounding him in recent weeks.

The 31-year-old has been in the headlines with news of his upcoming trial on charges of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand emerging last week.

The Blues captain was also the centre of Fabio Capello's resignation as England manager following a dispute with the Football Association over their decision to strip Terry of the Three Lions captaincy.

It is understood that the defender, who is suffering from a knee injury, has jetted off to Portugal with his wife and children, according to the Daily Mail.

"John's got some time off because of the injury, not because of the captaincy," said Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas.

Meanwhile, the former Premier League champions prepare to take on Everton at Goodison Park tomorrow.