It was difficult to predict what the 2018-19 campaign would hold for John Terry off the back of Aston Villa’s failed bid to secure promotion to the Premier League last season.

The 37-year-old’s one-year contract with the Birmingham club expired at the end of last term, and it was unclear whether he would be offered the chance to remain in the Championship for another year.

Given Terry managed 36 appearances in all competitions throughout a hugely influential first season at Villa Park, there was always going to be a chance Steve Bruce would want him to stay on.

But with no offer put on the table, the veteran defender has been forced to seek out alternatives this summer.

“I will look back on my time here and think about how close we were to reaching our goal,” he said after Villa’s play-off final loss to Fulham back in May.

"I have given my everything this year both on and off the pitch and I'm still hurting today that we never managed to get back to the Premier League, where this club 100% belongs.

Terry - who said the club will "always have a place in my heart” - did not confirm whether he will carry on playing elsewhere.

One could be forgiven for assuming English, American or Chinese clubs would be among his preferred options, which makes the current frontrunner for his signature all the more bizarre.

Reports indicate Russian Premier League outfit Spartak Moscow are on the verge of snapping up Terry on his second one-year deal since becoming a free agent in 2017.

The 22-time league champions - who followed up their triumphant 2016-17 season with a third-place finish earlier this year - will participate in the Europa League after missing out on a Champions League place via the qualification rounds.

Playing a step below Europe’s premier club competition must be an appealing option for a player of Terry’s age - especially now his prospective employers have been drawn in the same group as Steven Gerrard’s Rangers side.

However, the prospect of Terry and his old rival going head-to-head looks dead in the water courtesy of UEFA.

According to the Mirror, the Europa League player registration deadline fell on September 3, meaning the former England captain will be ineligible to play.

Considering Terry would likely have a major influence playing for Spartak in all competitions, that seems to be a massive oversight by both parties.

Deadlines are deadlines in the football world, so the ex-Chelsea skipper’s search for a new club may yet continue for a while yet.