TIME TO GO?

It looks like Ashley Cole’s Chelsea career is not too far away from getting over. The contract of the veteran left back at Stamford Bridge will end next summer and according to the reports, the club management is not interested at all in handing him a contract extension.

Cole who has been a member of the Chelsea squad since more than 7 years now has already played 225 Premier League matches for his current club. But, in this season, he has been ignored in favour of the young Spaniard Cesar Azpilicueta.

Azpilicueta is actually not a specialist left back as Cole, but, he has been used at that position by Jose Mourinho and he has managed to deliver the goods so far. So, one can expect him to continue being the first choice left-back at Stamford Bridge till the end of the season.

However, there is not much chance of Cole’s departure in January. He is likely to make an away move in summer.
There have been interests for Cole from various clubs around the world. Real Madrid is believed to be the most eager of them all and that’s because Carlo Ancelotti who is in charge over there knows Cole quite well and believes that he still has got some football left in him.

Cole would also like to prefer Madrid over any other club because by going there, he would be in contention for a place in his national side too, but, if goes to a league like MLS, he might drift away from the international arena.

Meanwhile, Chelsea is looking to bring in a new defender this January and the player who is at the top of their list is the 21 years old Luke Shaw who plays for Southampton FC at the minute.