Chelsea
manager Guus Hiddink says there has been no change in the behaviour of captain John Terry, who revealed he was to leave the Blues at the end of the season after the club decided not to offer him a new contract.
The 35-year-old defender has been a regular in the side under Hiddink, with 19 Premier League starts to his name so far, after falling out of favour with former manager Jose Mourinho earlier in the campaign.
Terry, who is the club's most successful captain, played every single minute in the league last season as
Chelsea
romped to the title.
"I haven't noticed any change. He is a very experienced player and has gone through all kinds of things in his career in football. Which means you don't notice any difference," Hiddink told reporters on Friday.
"He likes to train and have his laughs. He was well received by the fans at Watford, the fans cheered him there and I'm sure we will have a good reaction on Saturday too."
Hiddink was also wary of the threat posed by Chinese football's growing financial might, as the Chinese Super League out-spends Europe's elite with a series of high-profile signings.
The Asian transfer record was broken for a third time in 10 days after Shakhtar Donetsk sold Alex Teixeira to Jiangsu Suning for 50 million euros ($55 million) on Friday, and more deals could come before the local transfer window closes on Feb. 26.
"It's a concern, they are serious about getting into international football but it's not just about buying big stars. They need to bring in qualified people and have academies," Hiddink said.
Chelsea
new boy Alexandre Pato will not be making his debut in Sunday's league clash against fifth-placed Manchester United.
"Pato is in pre-season and we have a training plan which he is doing now. He will not be in for the upcoming few games," the former Netherlands manager said.
Chelsea, who are 13th in the table, will also be without injured duo Radamel Falcao and Loic Remy, while tricky winger Pedro remains a doubt for Sunday's clash.