He was very lucky — John Terry reveals strange Chelsea signing in chat with Mikel Obi

Chelsea legend John Terry has revealed the one former teammate he believes was "very lucky" to have ever played for the Blues, a player who lasted just a single season at Stamford Bridge before being offloaded to Manchester City.

That player is Tal Ben Haim. The Israeli defender joined Chelsea on a Bosman transfer from Bolton in 2007, but his tenure in West London was defined more by his constant clashes with manager Avram Grant than his performances on the pitch.

Speaking on Mikel Obi’s The Obi One Podcast, Terry reminisced about the bizarre dynamic between the defender and the manager.

“Tal was a funny guy,” Terry said. “I think he knew he got very lucky with his move to Chelsea. He and Avram Grant were at each other’s throats every single day.

"They obviously knew each other, speaking their own language. And then Avram threw him out of training.

“He just banished him from the ground and said 'you’re not allowed in when the first team are here,'” Terry added.

As the club's captain, Terry eventually had to intervene to restore order, pulling Ben Haim aside and delivering a blunt ultimatum to ensure the squad remained focused on their title ambitions.

“We got everyone together and I said, ‘Listen, it’s a big year for us… everyone calm down.

"The boys want you involved in the group, don’t be a dhead, don’t keep arguing with the manager; if you are, then you can go. But come in and train well with the group, we need you as part of the group,’”* Terry recalled.

Despite the captain's intervention, Ben Haim's Chelsea career never recovered.

He was sold to Manchester City for £5m in 2008, where he again lasted only one season before being loaned to Sunderland and eventually joining Portsmouth.