'Terry Best PL Defender Ever'  (Sky Sports)

Jamie Redknapp paid tribute to John Terry's "amazing career", ranking him the greatest Premier League defender of all time following his retirement.

Terry, who left Aston Villa in the summer, has called time on a 23-year career that has included five Premier League titles, four FA Cups, the Champions League, Europa League and three League Cups with Chelsea.

He also captained England, making 78 caps for his country and featuring at four major tournaments.

Despite strong competition from former Manchester United centre-back pairing Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, the Sky Sports pundit believes Terry is head and shoulders above the rest as the league's best defender.

"A Premier League great. He's probably the best defender we've seen, we talk about the great names but I think John Terry is the best for me.

"He was the sort of guy that you wanted on your team, he was a winner and he was just a great - he really was."

Asked how vital he was to Chelsea's success, Redknapp added: "There was Jose Mourinho, there was Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and many great players there but he was the leader.

"He was the person everybody looked up to. You always remember the days of Frank and John arm in arm after winning league titles - they were the symbol of the football club.

"When it comes to what John achieved there, I think that's why the fans adore him, they love what he did for the club and he deserves all of the niceties that are going to be said about him over the next few days."

Sky Sports News understands Terry is being lined up as a possible assistant manager or first-team coach by Aston Villa, with Thierry Henry the favourite to succeed Steve Bruce.

Redknapp added: "Thierry would be a good fit, I'm not sure who he'd want as his No 2, but John Terry knows that club inside out.

"There's obviously a few problems that need to be rooted out and John - having worked there - will understand the dynamic of the players. Who knows what Villa are going to do.

"They are a sleeping giant, they're a club that needs to get back to the Premier League. It depends on what John wants to do, he may want the easy option going to the media.

"He will have a lot of options open to him."