DI MATTEO BACKS COLE

The Chelsea manager Roberto di Matteo has once again said that he wants the defender Ashley Cole to stay at the club beyond this season. The 31-year-old England international has been linked with a move away from Chelsea consistently in the last few weeks especially given that his contract only has just over six months to run.

There has been no sign of a new deal for the former Arsenal man, which has praised the speculation that he will finally bring an end to his six-year stay at the club. However, Roberto di Matteo reckons that Ashley Cole still has a lot to offer at the top of the game.

He thinks that Ashley Cole has kept himself in great shape over the years that will allow him to play at the top level at least for three more years. As a result, it is extremely important that the club decide to offer him a new contract since keeping the top players is one of the important priority for any club. Ashley Cole has won every major title in these six years with Chelsea including numerous FA Cup trophies and one Champions League medal. The future of the star midfielder Frank Lampard has also been constantly speculated.

"I think, for my part, I'm doing everything I can but ultimately it's between the player and the club to agree a new deal. I have [told the club I want them to stay]. I'm not aware of where they are right now [in terms of the talks]. The players know I would like them to stay, from my point of view. They are fantastic players who have always performed to a high level for us, for myself too," said Roberto di Matteo. Chelsea will be making the trip to West Brom this weekend.