John Terry is confident he will prolong his Chelsea career into an 18th season as the team’s captain awaits formal talks with the Premier League leaders’ hierarchy over a new one-year deal at Stamford Bridge.

The centre-half is one of only three players at the club, alongside Eden Hazard and Branislav Ivanovic, to have started all of the side’s league games to date this term. Terry signed a new one-year contract last summer, having long since accepted Chelsea’s policy of awarding 12-month extensions to players over 30, with the 34-year-old content to wait until the end of the season before securing his next new deal.

“The club know my position, hopefully I know theirs and it will get done,” he said. “No talks have happened yet between myself and the club, but we both respect each other’s position. There are more important players here. Hazard’s one.

“For me, [securing him to a new contract until 2020] was the most important for the club. Without anyone telling me that, I knew that was the first priority for them. Hopefully they’ll be knocking on the door soon.

“I’ll be happy with one more year and then we’ll see how we go year by year. I’ve not got much choice. The first year [when his last long-term deal was running down] I was maybe a bit nervous and edgy and hoping and knocking on their door myself. But we had a good chat. I know their position and they know mine. I want to stay and hopefully my performances are showing that and they want to keep me.”

José Mourinho has already gone on record to confirm there are “no doubts” Terry will be granted a new deal. The Portuguese and his medical staff have devised specific training regimes to offer the captain his best opportunity to feature regularly, with Terry granted a few days’ leave before the hectic Christmas schedule to ensure he maintained his fitness.

The player himself is reluctant to spend any time on the sidelines as he seeks a fourth Premier League title. “I don’t want to [rest],” he added. “There’s a lot of pressure. I’m coming to the end of my career, so it’s important I stay fit and play as much as I can. It’s difficult when you see young boys come in like Kurt [Zouma]. He’s been a revelation since he came in: he’s young, fit, strong and hungry and it makes it even more difficult.

“When Gary Cahill plays he’s been great, and when Kurt plays he’s been great, so it’s hard to get the balance but we’re all rotating and there’s enough games to share around. We all want to play every game. They’re fighting it out and it could be me any time. It’s important to remain top of the league and everyone gets their game time.”