Chelsea will say farewell to one of the finest defenders in history when John Terry leaves the club at the end of the season.

Terry’s exit was confirmed this week by the Blues, bringing to an end his 22-year spell at Chelsea.

Not only is Terry the last in an era that included Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Petr Cech and Ashley Cole, but his exit signals the end of a centre-back core that once included Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Ricardo Carvalho.

Vincent Kompany is perhaps the last man standing, soon to be replaced by the likes of Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen.

The Premier League has seen some fine centre-backs in its history, and Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has named his top 10.

10. Sami Hyypia.

“One of the greatest pieces of business Liverpool did was getting big Sami for £2.5m from Willem II in 1999,” Carragher said in his Daily Mail column. “What followed was a decade of supreme consistency.

“The only thing he lacked was pace but he was the best partner I had at club level and our numbers over eight years were excellent.”

9. Marcel Desailly

“Michael Owen always said he was the best he'd played against.”

8. Sol Cambell

“We talk about the Arsenal 'Invincibles' of 2004 and the team who won the Double two years earlier and drool over their attacking play.

“It is easy to forget, though, that virtually the same squad had won nothing for three years. That changed with the controversial free-transfer signing of Campbell.”

7. Jaap Stam

“He was a massive influence for Manchester United, particularly in the 1999 Treble.”

6. Nemanja Vidic

“Vidic was one of the main reasons Sir Alex Ferguson wrestled the title back from Mourinho in 2007. I was tempted to move him higher up this list but I can't forget some of the games he endured against Fernando Torres!”

5. Ricardo Carvalho

“Some might be surprised that this master of the dark arts has taken such a high place in my list but I thought he was brilliant. Carvalho was an expert reader of the game, very good and cool on the ball, but also very aggressive.

“I like the fact that, like me, he wasn't the tallest or most physically imposing but he always got the job done.”

4. Vincent Kompany

“A man mountain. For three years, before injury problems took hold, I wouldn't have wanted any other central defender in the world in my team. He had everything: pace, power and aggression, as well as ability on the ball.

“He produced one of the best performances I've seen from a defender when City beat Manchester United in September 2013.”

3. Rio Ferdinand

“The best footballing central defender on this list.

“His partnership with Nemanja Vidic was one of the best in Europe during a spell when Manchester United reached three Champions League finals in four years.”

2. Tony Adams

“The only reason he doesn't top this list is because I feel his best days were for the George Graham Arsenal sides who were crowned champions in 1989 and 1991, plus Terry is better with the ball.

“Still, Adams won four titles in three different decades, which shows how he adapted his game as the demands on central defenders changed.”

1. John Terry

“My type of defender, someone who would put his body in front of anything to stop a goal. It should not be forgotten, though, what a great footballer he is and I know from playing alongside him how effortlessly he could ping a 60-yard pass with his left foot.

“During Jose Mourinho's first spell at Stamford Bridge, with Terry commanding in the middle and Petr Cech in goal, it felt almost impossible to score against them.”

What's your list of top 10 Premier League centre-backs? Let us know in the comments section below!