Mortgage mystery over John Terry and his 'pay-offs to five lovers'

Toni Terry in Dubai: The message on her back reads 'I hate the confusion'


John Terry found his finances coming under as fierce scrutiny as his sex life yesterday amid claims that he has bought off up to five former lovers.

The disgraced footballer - sacked as England captain last week - is said to have paid the women to prevent them going public about their relationships.

The heavy bill for his extra-marital liaisons has prompted searching questions about £170,000-a-week Terry's wealth after it emerged that the mortgage on his family home is now far bigger than the £2.75million purchase price of the property.

The 29-year-old continues to be beset by rumours about gambling problems. In 2005, he reportedly splashed out £30,000 on champagne at Chelsea's Christmas party after winning £200,000 at a casino.

And at one stage he was said to be gambling weekly sums of up to five figures, although a source close to the player insisted he has since reined in his spending.

His spokesman has denied he has money problems or a gambling habit.

Terry was sacked as England captain on Friday during a ten-minute showdown at Wembley with manager Fabio Capello, following his affair with French underwear model Vanessa Perroncel.


Covering up: Ms Terry relaxes by the pool in Dubai, where she is staying in a £300-a-night hotel with their twins, her parents and some close friends


His wife Toni, who has fled to a £300-a-night hotel in Dubai with their twin children, her parents, two friends and their two children, was seen yesterday lazing around the pool wearing a black singlet emblazoned with 'I love the chaos' on the front - and 'I hate the confusion' on the back.

Friends of Miss Perroncel said yesterday that the affair was all Terry's fault - accusing him of preying on her vulnerability and loneliness after she split from England footballer Wayne Bridge.

Gordon Brown has supported Capello's decision to remove the captaincy from Terry, but yesterday another government minister bizarrely felt the need to give his opinion on the matter.


Salute to the fans: John Terry


Health Minister Mike O'Brien used the social networking service Twitter to state: 'The sacking of Terry is crass. Capello has bowed to tabloid pressure.

Infidelity is bad but I saw no signs of fatigue in his football.'

In a failed attempt to keep his England captaincy before the meeting with Capello, Terry is said to have agreed to pay Miss Perroncel anything from £400,000 to £750,000 not to sell her story.

Yesterday it was claimed that he had instructed advisers to approach four other women he fears could wreck his career.

Despite his fabulous earnings of almost £9million a year from Chelsea, plus a £4million contract to wear Umbro football boots, Terry has a puzzling trail of mortgages to his name.

According to Land Registry documents, Terry's mansion in Oxshott, Surrey, has been mortgaged four times in seven years. Purchased for £2.75million in July 2003, the first mortgage was with Coutts Finance Co.


source: dailymail