The decision comes just two weeks before a new Premier League campaign
“It has been a tremendous honour and privilege to have spent these last three years at Aston Villa, but I feel now is the right time to make the extremely difficult decision to move on.
John Terry has left his role as Aston Villa’s assistant manager, the club have announced.
The 40-year-old former England and Chelsea captain joined Villa in the summer of 2017.
Terry, who played 32 games for the team in the 2017-18 season before becoming assistant to Dean Smith, told Villa’s official website: “It has been a tremendous honour and privilege to have spent these last three years at Aston Villa, but I feel now is the right time to make the extremely difficult decision to move on.
“I want to be as respectful to the manager and everyone at Aston Villa as I can and, having given my future serious consideration over the summer, I genuinely don’t feel it is fair to move into a new season without being certain of seeing that through.
“My immediate plan is to spend some quality time with my family and, thereafter, hopefully take up some invitations to visit clubs and managers around Europe to develop my aim and objective of becoming a manager.
“It has always been my ambition to move into football management and, providing the right opportunity presents itself, I feel ready to take up such a challenge.”