Kurt Zouma has said he does not know how Chelsea will replace captain John Terry if he leaves in the summer.
Terry, 35, said after Sunday's 5-1 FA Cup victory over MK Dons that he expected to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season after being being informed that his current deal would not be renewed
Chelsea subsequently issued a statement in which they said "channels of dialogue" remained open about his future -- but Zouma said he had been shocked to learn that Terry could be entering the final months of his Blues career.
"I am very surprised -- I didn't know," he told the Evening Standard when informed about Terry's announcement. "Now we have to see what John wants to do, because I think he can play for another one or two years.
"This feels like when we lost Didier [Drogba] last summer. He is a huge personality at Chelsea. When you lose these kinds of players, you have to replace them -- but I don't know how John can be replaced. We have to think about it.
"For me, he can play many more times. He is still at a top level. He has been playing very well since I arrived at Chelsea [in 2014]. He can continue for sure.
"His performances have been consistent. Since I have been at the club, I haven't seen him play badly and that's the truth. He was always helping everybody."
Zouma said Terry had been "a massive support to me" and added: "When I started my first games last year, he was always talking to me. He is a legend and a very good leader."
Terry voiced his desire to end his Chelsea career on a high before pursuing a future outside the Premier League, and Zouma said the players were determined to help him do so.
"We want to give everything for the fans, for everybody, but now we want to do well for John as well because he has done very, very well since he started at Chelsea and we want to win something for him," he added.