After Didier Drogba, it seems time has come for England defender Ashley Cole to bid goodbye to Chelsea after playing for the club for over six years.
The Sun reported that Ashley Cole, who is considered by many as the best left back today, is "ready to walk out on Chelsea after only being offered a derisory one-year deal to stay at the club."
Chelsea owner Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has reportedly ordered the management to nurture the younger players and give everyone over 30 years of age only a year extension. As a result, 34-year-old Ivorian striker Didier Drogba was shown the doors after the Champions League final match against Bayern Munich which he helped win by scoring two goals.
"Mr Abramovich has a rule that anyone over 30 can only be given a one-year extension but it's madness in Ashley's case. Everyone knows he's the best left-back in the world. He trains hard, really looks after himself and can play at this level for many more years to come. There isn't a club in the world who wouldn't want Ashley on a free," The Sun quoted a club insider as saying.
The signing of 23-year-old England defender Ryan Bertrand for a new five-year contract a couple of days ago, has hinted that Chelsea is ready to take chance on Cole.
Reports are doing the rounds that Chelsea is keen to keep Cole, who is free to join another club in January, for another year but he is unlikely to stay at the Stamford Bridge.
Ashley Cole is likely to seal big deal even if he leaves Chelsea. Big clubs like Real Madrid, Paris St Germain and Zenit St Petersburg would come up with big offers.
The European Champions have already signed big players like Fernando Torres of Spain, Germany's winger Marko Marin, Belgium's forward Eden Hazard, Brazil's playmaker Oscar Dos Santos, Wigan Athletics' Victor Moses and Olympique Marseille defender Cesar Azpilicueta to fulfill Abramovich's dream of transforming the club into an entertaining one. It had spent around £46 million in 2011 by signing Romelu Lukaku, Romeu, Juan Mata and Raul Meireles.
