Barcelona line up £20m for Ashley Cole!?

[jordanl5182]

BARCELONA are poised to make a £20million move to lure Ashley Cole from Chelsea.

Barca, the Champions League finalists, have already sounded out the Blues about England full-back Cole and are ready to come back with a firm bid when the season ends.

A host of clubs are hovering around Cole, whose excellent season for Chelsea has restored his reputation as a top-class defender. Mega-rich Manchester City have also made their intentions clear – even though they signed another left-back in Wayne Bridge from Chelsea earlier this year – and have offered Cole, 28, a five-year deal worth about £130,000 a week.

Inter Milan are also watching developments, but it is Barca who seem set to make the first move as they look to replace error-prone Frenchman Eric Abidal and the ageing Brazilian Silvinho. Clubs are hoping to capitalise on any confusion at Chelsea with interim manager Guus Hiddink leaving after the FA Cup final on May 30 and AC Milan chief Carlo Ancelotti not yet confirmed as his successor at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea, though, are acutely aware of all the attention round one of their most coveted players – and have already opened talks on a lucrative new five-year deal which would hike Cole’s wages up from their £80,000 a week to somewhere level with the top earners at the club like Michael Ballack and John Terry, at about £120,000.

Former Arsenal star Cole, who has had his share of off-the-field problems recently but has still been one of Hiddink’s most consistent performers, has two years of his current contract remaining. Chelsea are anxious they do not go into the final year without tying up an agreement. Cole does not want to leave Chelsea right now and is not keen on a move to Eastlands. But a switch to the glamour of the Nou Camp to reunite with his friend Thierry Henry could appeal. Chelsea will fiercely resist any bids – but are braced for more interest.

Benfica are also keen on taking injury-prone centre-back Ricardo Carvalho back to Portugal – but he is another player Chelsea do not want to sell.

Ballack, as the Daily Express revealed earlier this month, will stay on after the one-year extension to his deal was triggered this week.

Wouldn't sell him for £50m, he's quite simply the best left back in the world and would be irreplacable.

He wouldn't seriously think about this would he?

[coco]

We should reply with an offer of £30m-£40m+Ashley Cole in return for Iniesta or Messi.

Dont choke on your paella.

[evissy]

I wouldn't sell any of our 'untouchables' no matter what. A.Cole is truly one of them.

[g3.7]

on the football side he's just this season come into credible consistent form for a fullback at a top side, so in that respect we'd have to think hard about if we could replace him properly, and he should have plenty of years left in him...

everyone knows my feelings- I'd sell him without considering the above, but the reality is we would have to, and there doesn't seem to be a load of great fullbacks about. (I'd take gael clichy despite his form this season though)

p.s. of course he'd consider barcelona. he more than anyone would consider them, but every player in our squad would consider them and I could only name jt for sure that would prefer to be at chelsea.

Edited May 20, 2009 by gullit4

[bcarroll]

No way can he be sold. 20M would not be enough anyway even if we were to contemplate it. They paid 26M for Alves last summer and he's not even half the player Cole is

[ivorycoast]

Dear Barcelona.

f**k off.

[PloKoon13]

Wouldn't sell him for £50m, he's quite simply the best left back in the world and would be irreplacable.

This, basically. Well maybe for £50m... but nothing below 30. No way.

I'd offer them a straight swap for Messi or Iniesta, and if they -really- want him... we would see. :lol:

[rahul]

They could go and get Evra instead, can't they?

[Gem]

He could avoided the even more wrath of Arsenal fans and gone to Madrid when he opted to sign for us. Money may have a say... but so does his wife. She didn't want to leave London. I honestly believe if he wasn't married he would have left for Spain.

He's turned it down once, I'm sure he'd do it again. Unless Cheryl says otherwise.

[Modueke]

Agree with Gem, the Mrs will play a part in it all.

Remember Ashley has been known to follow the cash, so when teams come in to offer big, there may be more temptation there. Though that could have all changed now at Chelsea.

I wouldn't want him to go regardless of who Barca offer to lure him there!

[dkw]

on the football side he's just this season come into credible consistent form for a fullback at a top side, so in that respect we'd have to think hard about if we could replace him properly, and he should have plenty of years left in him...

everyone knows my feelings- I'd sell him without considering the above, but the reality is we would have to, and there doesn't seem to be a load of great fullbacks about. (I'd take gael clichy despite his form this season though)

p.s. of course he'd consider barcelona. he more than anyone would consider them, but every player in our squad would consider them and I could only name jt for sure that would prefer to be at chelsea.

i think your being incredibly harsh G4 and allowing your dislike of him to cloud your judgement. saying hes had a credible consistent season is massively understating the way hes played for us this season. even under scolari he was one of our top performers week in week out and for me is second only to lampard as player of the season...

as fpr the barcalona bid, we should say no way jose ( or pep) as i honestly cant thnik of a single left back who could replace him at the moment.

Edited May 20, 2009 by dkw

[Ruh Buh Juh]

i think your being incredibly harsh G4 and allowing your dislike of him to cloud your judgement. saying hes had a credible consistent season is massively understating the way hes played for us this season. even under scolari he was one of our top performers week in week out and for me is second only to lampard as player of the season...

as fpr the barcalona bid, we should say no way jose ( or pep) as i honestly cant thnik of a single left back who could replace him at the moment.

I agree totally - for me, our player of the season is between him, Lamps and Alex, all 3 have been outstanding all season :P

[g3.7]

i think your being incredibly harsh G4 and allowing your dislike of him to cloud your judgement. saying hes had a credible consistent season is massively understating the way hes played for us this season.

I think you are misunderstanding what I was saying (because I wrote it in an odd way)-

what I'm saying is since he has joined us this is the first season where he has been in form worthy of his reputation as a top fullback and form worthy of a club that wants to win every trophy it enters, so it would be a curious time to consider selling...

p.s. of course, he still needs to learn how to cross a ball though.

Edited May 20, 2009 by gullit4

[evissy]

Brilliant player but not very likeable. He barks like a small dog and has that sour face always in games.

We need to keep our core players if we are to do the 'mass exodus'. Cech, JT, A.Cole, Lampard, Essien, Bosingwa, Anelka.

We have great players coming from the youth system + the young ones we have in our squad at the moment. We need backup for many of these 'untouchables' and some fresh blood in the attack and wings.

Don't give anything to the 'wonderful-barcelona'. They have jumped second in my hate list. w**k*rs.

[just]

A very, very consistent performer this year. I agree with G4 about the crossing thing, but there again, from memory, I don't think we've had really good crosser of the ball since Wee Pat, although Duffer was certainly half decent.

And another thing about Cashley, in terms of sheer natural athleticism, he is second only to Gerrard IMO. And yes, (before anyone picks me up on that), I mean Steven Gerrard. We may all argue about how good he actually is a footballer, but as an athlete Gerrard is unarguably superb. He could probably make a decent fist of running the 3000m steeplechase for us in London 2012.

[TheWestwayWonder]

I really dont think there is anything to this, considering Barca have a such a good thing going I doubt they would ever tamper with it, but I would keep Cashley for anything short of a knock-your-socks-off fee.

[MHedges]

I really dont think there is anything to this, considering Barca have a such a good thing going I doubt they would ever tamper with it, but I would keep Cashley for anything short of a knock-your-socks-off fee.

You can always make a squad better, and LB was a serious concern for them when they played us.

Edited May 20, 2009 by MHedges

[charierre]

this story comes out as he is negotiating a new 5yr deal ...very convenient not that Ash would ask for 10k above what is being offered ...would he?

[dkw]

A very, very consistent performer this year. I agree with G4 about the crossing thing, but there again, from memory, I don't think we've had really good crosser of the ball since Wee Pat, although Duffer was certainly half decent.

And another thing about Cashley, in terms of sheer natural athleticism, he is second only to Gerrard IMO. And yes, (before anyone picks me up on that), I mean Steven Gerrard. We may all argue about how good he actually is a footballer, but as an athlete Gerrard is unarguably superb. He could probably make a decent fist of running the 3000m steeplechase for us in London 2012.

both gerrard and cole have nothing on essien for athelticism mate, and in truth theres plenty others just as atheltic but it never gets highlighted as they dont play for the big boys. players like ireland of man city are right up there.

[Money]

They could go and get Evra instead, can't they?

apparently they wanted evra a few months ago and were determined to buy him. Now they are switching to A Cole.

They can bugger off as far as Im concerned!

Doesnt matter who the new manager is, A Cole will keep his place

[geezer]

A very, very consistent performer this year. I agree with G4 about the crossing thing, but there again, from memory, I don't think we've had really good crosser of the ball since Wee Pat, although Duffer was certainly half decent.

Graham Le Saux could cross a fair ball so could Bridgey

[blizeH]

^^

And how could you forget Gronks?

[dkw]

^^

And how could you forget Gronks?

dont push it mate....

[Guest bigjockknew]

If we are serious about the CL and winning thePremiership then we HAVE to keep him, what was the point in buying him if we weren't going to keep him and develop him even more- money shouldn't even come into it

[goose]

p.s. of course he'd consider barcelona. he more than anyone would consider them, but every player in our squad would consider them and I could only name jt for sure that would prefer to be at chelsea.

I was thinking after the semi that if there is one player Barca are missing it's JT. I leader in defence who can play a bit of decent football. Was thinking then that I wouldn't be surprised if they came in with an offer for him.