http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2217686/Ashley-Cole-leave-Chelsea-end-season.html

Poor source I know, but this is very concerning if true. Not only will we be losing one of the best full-backs I have ever seen (and from what I can tell he has plenty of fuel left in the tank), but we may well be strengthening a rival. Bertrand and van Aanholt do seem like real prospects, but I'm not sure they [yet] have what it takes to fill Ashley's boots. I sincerely hope he signs a new contract very soon, he has consistently been one of our top performers (aside from when he was tactically exposed during AVB's reign of genius) for many seasons. Cole is truly a world-class player and is a serious candidate for both England and Chelsea's greatest ever left-back.

What do you think?

He is the world's best LB, I believe, certainly the best in the EPL...I have faith Bertrand could step up if need be, but I fail to see the downside in a 2 year extension for Ash, unless he's demanding stupid money

Letting someone of his calibre go for nothing isn't an option we should be considering, I would have no qualms about tying him up for two years.

It is all about what he wants. If he wants to go to America or China or where ever to finish up his career that is okay. He is only 31 though so he has gas in his tank to play in this league as well. I think we should offer him 1+1 with a high salary. We need his experience in CL and in crucial PL games against the big boys.

Bertrand is going to be good and he already is but he is no Ashley.

Wake up everybody, of course he will leave. PSG will offer him a massive contract and he will go there.

Cole is a fullback, the most physically demanding position in football. I don't think he has the ability to stay at the very top level beyond 32. I'd rather not pay out a few million to him just for sentiment's sake, or worse, have him leave a bad taste in the mouths of Chelsea fans if he fails to keep up his performances.

I believe he ll go because hed prefer to escape the witch hunts in this country by fans and media in both football and personal life..

_{2 year contract all day long for me. Seen nothing this season that would suggest he is on his last legs- he plays week in/week out at the highest level putting in quality performances.}

_{With Didier and now Frank at 34 I can certainly understand the clubs position but with Cole at 31(?) I believe we would be letting a valuable asset go and would be looking on with envy as he continued the good form we have got used to for someone else in the Champions League for the next couple of years....}

If Cole does leave, it better not be to another team in England.

Mixed emotions over this one. On one hand he is still one of the best full backs in football and I would prefer he played for us rather than against us. On the other hand we have Bertrand who looks able to step into his left back comfortably, and Cole is no longer able to train fully so question marks over his longevity.

This is where you realise that policies that say a player at x age should be offered 1 year deals are stupid.

All players age differently and have different injury records. Would you offer Arjen Robben 2 or 3 years aged 30? Hell no. Would you offer the best left back in the world who still gets up and down the pitch better than most a new 2 (at least year deal)? Yes.

If he leaves it will be the club cutting off it's nose to spite it's face. Bertrand is undoubtedly a good player, but Ashley Cole has virtually no peer in the game currently.

I'd be very happy if the club gave Ash a Two yr deal (i voted for that) but i wouldn't be annoyed at or dissapointed with the club if they stuck to their guns and only gave him One.

Alan

I'd be very happy if the club gave Ash a Two yr deal (i voted for that) but i wouldn't be annoyed at or dissapointed with the club if they stuck to their guns and only gave him One.

Alan

Agree with this sentiment although i do believe that he will want to go at end of this season and sign a big contract with someone else... it doesnt make sense giving a player nearing the end of their career a huge 2/3 year deal especially as we need to align with FFP

As a side note:

Cheryl Cole's new book is out and I believe its pretty damning on Ashley. He may wish to get away from the Hacks who have nothing better to write about.

As a main point:

The club have a new policy. Its obvious that he will get a further extension if he is still up to the job, which I believe he certainly is. The club don't want to be seen as pushovers anymore, that bit is obvious.

He should accept it or else leave I guess. Nowhere else in the Premier league will pay him what we pay him, with the exception of City.

Certainly don't want him to go, he's a magnificent player. He should accept the 1 year deal and see where he is after that. Its not like he will be out of pocket anytime soon.

Edited October 15, 201213 yr by Zola

As much as i would like him to stay for another season or two I would like to see Ryan given more chances and i dont think that will go down too well with Ash.

I also think he will want to escape the english media and a couple of years in Spain or France might be what he wants.

As good as he is im not as worried about him leaving as i once was. I have high hopes for Ryan, i just hope Robbie gives him a chance.

The question shouldn't be one of age, it should be one of continued usefulness to the team. Can Ashley Cole do a job for the next two or three years? I would think so. He shows no signs of losing his pace or his appetite for the game.

Is the 30+ rule a fact of club policy or has it merely been reported as such? If the former, then it's a policy with which I strongly disagree. Players should be assessed on an individual basis. It's easy enough to make a case for goalkeepers as the exception to any such rule, but the same individual basis for contract negotiations should also apply to outfield players.

I'd go with 1 year with an option of another if both sides agree.

I know what people are saying about him still being able to do a job, but as someone else pointed out fullback is very demanding physically, look at how quickly Gary Neville declined once he was 32/33.

Ash is a quality player, however the club can't be sentimental and have to do whats right for the future.

Mixed emotions over this one. On one hand he is still one of the best full backs in football and I would prefer he played for us rather than against us. On the other hand we have Bertrand who looks able to step into his left back comfortably, and Cole is no longer able to train fully so question marks over his longevity.

This, pretty much. I'd give him a two year contract, and rotate him with Ryan Bertrand.

I never knew he has a special training regime, it certainly doesn't show on the pitch which is what matters.

I can see him being useful for another two years at least, Bertrand will probably overtake him in the pecking order eventually (not any time soon) but even if he's no longer playing every week it's still useful to have an experienced player like him around.

I'm with the club on this one. Assess players over thirty on a one year basis, especially considering the wages these guys are on.

Thats a fair point acutally. He must be one of the highest earners.

He is still the best left back in the world, the fact some big clubs ar elined up to snap our arm off says it all... offer him 3 years and be done with it.

I'd go with 1 year with an option of another if both sides agree.

I know what people are saying about him still being able to do a job, but as someone else pointed out fullback is very demanding physically, look at how quickly Gary Neville declined once he was 32/33.

Ash is a quality player, however the club can't be sentimental and have to do whats right for the future.

Agreed.

Im pretty sure that Cole has a good few years left in him yet but as pleased as the powers that be at CFC will be with his performances on the pitch i am sure they are equally as frustrated with the man off the pitch, who, lets face it, (like another one of his defensive team mates) is a one man walking PR disaster, and i suspect the club are getting tired of him, even taking into account his level of sporting performance which offers so much to the team.

Id be surprised if this wasnt a major factor in the refusal to bend the contract rules. The emergence of Bertrand also may have made the decision a little easier too.

I suspect this is all guess work by Neil Ashton (again) but hes probably onto something and i wouldn't be surprised if we lost Cole at the end of the season. Hes a great player but a buffoon, and life will continue.

Edited October 15, 201213 yr by bjd

The question to be asked is how much will Asley Cole cost us over a 2 yr period? 10/12 million. And we retain the services of the best LB in the business. Bertrand is the aire in waiting can he step up to the plate week in week out and how much will an understudy to him cost us over the same 2 yr period? Unless the maths really add up, we do still need the services of Ash and the club think so too or else they wouldnt even be negoitiating now. A 2yr deal with the option of an addon year would seem right to me and fair to all parties.

We need to bring our finances into line with FFP and I would imagine that Ashley earns a considerable amount more than Bertrand (rightly so) so the club needs to balance the cost effective aspects of both players.

For example lets say that Ashley earns £5m per year and Ryan £2m per year, at the moment that balances up because Ashley is a more experienced and vital player to the squad, however if in 18 moths time Ashley is injured or not playing as much because his body cannot stand the punishments of a full season then the club will be wondering why they are paying £5m to a guy that rarely plays when the could be paying Ryan say £3m (with a pay increase) and also paying his back up say £2m therefore saving money.

As for that back up player, we all seem to be forgetting PVA who is more than a capable understudy.

I maintain that we should be offering players who get to a certain age a 1 year contract with a further year on option if both player and club are agreeable to that option being taken up.

Its good business for the club, and gives the player an incentive to keep performing as well.