Ashley Cole’s contract with Chelsea expires on June 30. Where he goes next is anyone’s guess.
Cole, 33, appears destined to end his eight-year Chelsea career this summer, and a host of clubs are preparing contract offers for the veteran fullback.
Cole’s contract talks with Chelsea have come to a standstill, and he used Twitter to bid farewell to the Blues and their fans on Monday.
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Cole joined Chelsea from Arsenal in 2006. He played 338 games for the Blues, helping them win one Premier League title, four FA Cups, one League Cup, one UEFA Champions League and one UEFA Europa League.
Cole was a fixture in the Chelsea lineup until this season when he lost his place at left back — first because of a rib injury then due to manager Jose Mourinho’s increasing reliance on Cesar Azlpilicueta. In the end, Cole played only 17 Premier League games in 2013-14.
There’s a small chance Cole could have a future at Chelsea, but he would have to accept a one-year contract (per club policy) and a pay cut in order to do remain at Stamford Bridge, according to the Telegraph.
It’s more likely that Cole will move elsewhere this summer. French clubs AS Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain could offer Cole a foreign adventure and Champions League soccer next season, as could Spanish giant Real Madrid. Premier League rivals Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal also have been linked with Cole in recent months.
Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls and L.A. Galaxy are thought to be willing to offer Cole a route to the United States, but the Telegraph reports the former England international isn’t interested in moving stateside at this point.
Cole will choose his next stop after he returns to London from his California vacation next week.
Photo via Twitter/@BBCSport
