After an impeccable debut season under Antonio Conte, Chelsea have been rocked in recent weeks, with the 2-1 defeat by Crystal Palace earlier this month compounded by Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Manchester United that had cut their advantage over second-placed Tottenham to just four points, with six matches left to play each.

Having spent 22 years with Chelsea after joining the club’s academy in 1995, 36-year-old Terry will leave the club in the summer when his contract expires, with the former England captain insisting that he believes he can prolong his playing career away from Stamford Bridge.

However, it’s that reason that Neville believes that Monday’s announcement may be due to the fact that Terry has already agreed to join another club on a pre-contract, and that Chelsea’s hand was forced because they were afraid it would not be kept quiet any longer, which would have reflected badly on the club for not being the ones who made the announcement.

"The news of Terry leaving is incredibly strange timing, I don't get it at all," Neville told Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.

"I'm not really sure who it suits, maybe John Terry a little bit, but I'm not even sure about that.

"It may be a distraction for the dressing room, the club and the fans will be sad today especially after the big game they lost yesterday. Maybe he's signed a pre-agreement with somebody and they couldn't keep it quiet any longer."

Both Neville and Carragher also considered a possible recall for Terry to Chelsea’s first team, given their defensive trio of Gary Cahill, David Luiz and Cesar Azpilicueta has been disrupted by the absence of Marcos Alonso and the return to fitness of Kurt Zouma.

It led the two pundits to suggest that Terry’s experience will be crucial in seeing Chelsea hold on to their advantage and win a second title in three years, following the success under Jose Mourinho in 2014/15.

John Terry's greatest moments Show all 9 1 /9 John Terry's greatest moments John Terry's greatest moments Made Chelsea captain in 2004 Jose Mourinho handed Terry the armband at the start of the 2004/05 season Getty John Terry's greatest moments Named best defender in Champions League Terry was also voted as Premier League Player of the Year for 2004/05 Getty John Terry's greatest moments Wins first Premier League title Terry captained Chelsea to his and their first Premier League title in 2005 Getty John Terry's greatest moments Wins back-to-back titles Chelsea defended their title in 2005/06, sweeping all before them Getty John Terry's greatest moments Named England captain in 2006 Steve McClaren chose Terry as his England captain in August 2006 Getty John Terry's greatest moments Wins fourth FA Cup in 2010 Terry picked up yet another trophy in May 2010 Getty John Terry's greatest moments Wins Champions League in 2012 Terry lifted the trophy for the first time - infamously in full Chelsea kit - despite not playing in the final through suspension Getty John Terry's greatest moments Wins Carling Cup in 2015 Terry scored the opening goal and won Man of the Match as Chelsea beat Tottenham at Wembley Getty John Terry's greatest moments Wins fourth Premier League title Captained Chelsea to a fourth title of his career as well as being named in the 2014/15 Team of the Year Getty

"They haven't kept a clean sheet for quite a bit now and I think he could be quite useful for them,” Neville said.

"If they needed someone with experience in this last month to get them over the line, he might be the man they need to call on.

"He's got the experience, the resilience, the robustness and that toughness which would get his team-mates over line. He may be Chelsea's most important player in the next few weeks."

Carragher added: “It could be a time for his actual experience, that you need there, that leadership because it's something that they lacked [on Sunday]. They weren't there normal selves.

“With John Terry I still think he has a lot offer as a player in the Premier League.”

Jamie Carragher believes Terry can still help Chelsea to win the title (Sky Sports)

The decision to leave the club sees the option for Terry to join a Premier League rival arise if he wants to remain in England, although it is expected that he will also receive offers from abroad with China a possible destination.

Yet Carragher was reluctant to credit Terry with being a “one-club man” due to an early loan spell in his career, while his impending transfer will also ruin that reputation that left Carragher saddened.

Terry announced that he is leaving Chelsea with the club leading the Premier League by four points (Getty)

“I'm not sure he's a one-club man, I think he went on loan to Nottingham Forest but you associate him as a one-club man really,” said Carragher, who saw fellow Liverpool great Steven Gerrard leave Liverpool to head to the MLS by joining LA Galaxy before retiring last year.