Experts believe Chelsea skipper John Terry's spate of controversies have cost him over &poiund;6 million in endorsement deals.

Sports sponsorship experts believe the England captaincy is worth up to £1.5m a year in endorsements - but Terry has often been overlooked.

"The England football captaincy is one of the highest profile jobs in the country," Nigel Currie, director of Sports Marketing agency Rapport, told the Mail on Sunday.

"The England captain should be a prime target for marketers, but the on-off nature of Terry's appointment, plus the allegations and revelations surrounding him have undoubtedly made companies nervous about linking him with their brands.

"Terry has lost opportunities. Players such as David Beckham, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer were very marketable and benefited enormously from being England captain."