Chelsea to lose Ashley Cole due to Contract and Age issues

It seems ridiculous, but the Chelsea board are standing firm to their policy of offering no more than a year at a time to any player over 30-years old. England international left back Ashley Cole is not happy with this and so is set to leave the club in the summer for nothing.

Cole is one of the best left backs in the world and is in peak physical condition, so there will be a queue of top European clubs vying for his signature. He could rejoin his old manager from Chelsea, Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid. Even worse, he could go to Premier league rivals Manchester United.

Alex Ferguson has been keen to get cover, or a replacement, for his French international Patrice Evra. Evra is just a year older than Cole but his form has dropped alarmingly. Fergie was looking at Leighton Baines from Everton, but David Moyes was demanding around £20 million. If United get Cole for nothing, Ferguson will not believe his luck.

Frank Lampard is in the same situation at 34-years old and so it looks like they will join another of the Champion’s league winning team, Didier Drogba, to be cast aside. The players feel that they deserve more loyalty from Abramovich and Chelsea but it does not look like they will get it.