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Arsenal - To End The Sorry Colegate Saga
Written by Kj talk | 31st July 2006 | 10 Comment(s)
This is the week I believe that Arsenal's Ashley Cole will be sold probably to Chelsea or even Real Madrid. The moment Cole was found to be talking with his agent to the Chelsea representatives and "super agent" Pini Zahavi signed the end of Cole at Arsenal.
And the follow on when Cole appealed against his fine rather then accept his role in the affair highlighted an attitude that continues it seems with more outpouring of indignation in his soon to be published biography. Where if we are to believe what we have been told Cole will claim Arsenal, meaning Vice Chairman David Dein "hung him out to dry" over the whole sorry saga.
After the scandal broke Cole in fact signed an extension to his contract and accepted a major pay rise but really the contract was only for an additional year and protected Arsenal from losing Cole on a Bosman style exit. Cole as I understand has two years left on his existing deal and therefore if he is determined to leave, Arsenal must now cash in or fear his value will be greatly reduced next season with only a year to run.
If the book is as damning towards his present employers as it is suggested then his position becomes even more untenable and the player must go. You simply cannot take on one hand a huge salary every week and in the next hand pen tales of how wicked everyone is around you! Or perhaps when these things will be under discussion in the wider press Cole will claim that the writer has put words in his mouth. Does no one take responsibility for their own actions in the modern game?
The path is being paved for a move to Chelsea with Cole's England colleagues, John Terry and Frank Lampard stating they would love the have Cole at the club and David Dein admitting talks have been conducted with Chelsea concerning his move.
So if Cole goes how bigger a loss will he be to the club? He is a great player that should be coming into his prime and possess great energy and a tenacious style, but I would not put him in the class of previous Gunner great Kenny Sansom. And I would say that despite Coles talent he does not have the charisma of the ex England warhorse Stuart Pearce.
I don't consider Cole to be as consistent as former Arsenal left back Nigel Winterburn and at a club that seems to produce great players in the left back berth, going back even to the days of Eddie Hapgood, they may all ready have an ideal replacement in the French left back Gael Glichy.
Although last season Mathew Flamini deputised so admirably for Arsenal at left back whilst Cole was injured, if Clichy was not also out of action he would have surely figured as the more natural choice.
All that seems to be needed for the deal to go through is an agreement of the price Arsenal will accept for Cole's transfer. Thirty million pounds has been suggested and that would be a staggering amount for a left back even if the west London oil barons are to be the buying club. More likely I believe will be a figure between eighteen and twenty million which would read as good business for both parties.
Chelsea then get their man that they have coveted but denied for the past season and Arsenal get a large amount of money for a player that came through the youth system. Ashley Cole doubles his salary yet again in a short space of time and leaves behind a manager that has brought him on leaps and bounds over the past few years.
With say twenty million pounds in Wenger's hand I would be confident this alchemist could then find something more than efficient to fill any void although of course that may take time. One of the better introductions into the Premiership has been at Manchester United in the shape of left back and Argentinean international Gabriel Heinze who arrived from Paris Saint Germain for the realistic sum of six million pounds.
Ashley Cole then will become one of the most disliked figures ever to leave Arsenal and it's fans, and once again proves that no matter how many times a player kisses the badge, it means nothing when the smell of money is in the air.
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Comments
Comment by Your name here on Wednesday 2 August 2006 @ 11:58pm
Comment by Joe on Wednesday 2 August 2006 @ 4:15am
I agree that Abidal was the weakest player for France In WC. He never knew what to do with the ball and all the while he only seemed to be dribbling to the corner flag. His only asset is his speed which is why is suppose some of you guys think he would fit into the team. If Clichy gets his chance this season, he would most probably replace Abidal for France. I think most probably Wenger would sign the Ghana guy (what's his name again?) for CB. What we really need is some steel in the midfield. We were always very lightweight when we played 4-4-2 last season with Fab & Gilberto in the middle & we never score enough when we play 4-5-1. Pires has gone & Ljungberg has lost his goal scoring touch. Hleb is goal shy & Rocisky do not have a good goal record for his former club as well as country (not to be deceived by the 2 goals he score against USA in WC). Hence we could not afford to play 4-5-1 again (except maybe in knock out competition). Bottom line is, get a tenecious CM like Petit, Veira, Parlour, Edu or even Grimandi!
Comment by Your name here on Wednesday 2 August 2006 @ 2:12am
sell him to chelsea and get 25 million for him look at all the high profile players that have left annelka,petit,overmars,viera they never played as well as they did for us with any other club cole is a good attacking full back at chelsea hell have to change cause that defence dont attack like the gunners and never will.
Comment by shezzle on Wednesday 2 August 2006 @ 2:11am
Gunners can never be hit by one man's departure. Ashley Cole probably come to Arsenal as a student to learn and he did learn, so its no problem if he decides to leave. Better replacement are at Arsene's disposal (Clichy, Troare). If you doubt Wenger's capality never get suprised to see HENRY in 3 if the worse comes to the worst. 30 millions will be good business for us.
Comment by lc on Monday 31 July 2006 @ 8:19pm
There is no need to look for revenge. If Chelsea want Ashley, they've got out there players like Drogba who doesn't want anymore to play for them. AW should go for a swap with some cash. Drogba, in my opinion, is the type of forward the current squad is lackking to make up the missing balance. He is a very useful player.
Comment by mjc on Monday 31 July 2006 @ 8:29pm
If he goes to Chelsea, let's all look forward to Lauren ditching into Row 12 next season. Don't mess with The Arse.
Comment by o on Monday 31 July 2006 @ 7:31pm
we dont need buffon...lehmann was one of the best players for germany and arsenal last season...Davies for £10m ur joking, we sold vieira for £13m arsene will never get ripped like that...abidal is good and can become better with arsene to help him...and hargreaves is js average we dont need him....
Comment by Tom on Monday 31 July 2006 @ 6:52pm
Abidal was the weakest player in the French World Cup side. Clichy (when fit) is a better player. Traore is only 16, so don't expect too much from him any time soon (as good a prospect as he is). Buffon isn't going anywhere, let alone Arsenal. Hargreaves is utterly average, not as bad as people have said, but not good enough for Arsenal. I fully expect two majorish signings that will be predicted by precisely nobody...
Comment by mark on Monday 31 July 2006 @ 6:26pm
If he is going to leave we must get as much cash as possible for him. We do not need to replace him at the moment as Clichy and Traore in time we do a good job. The hole Campbell has left needs to be filled so a good CB is required, at any cost. Spending 10 mill on Davies when you get 30 mill for Cole is not bad business, the real winner is West Brom. If we do get 30 mill I reckon we could pick up Buffon for 12 mill and Hargreaves for 8 mill, so we would get three players for the sale or Ashley Cole.
Comment by o on Monday 31 July 2006 @ 6:05pm
i dont see why we should settle for £18m, when C.Davies is supp. worth £12m....i say go for £25+m esp. if they are willing to spend that on SWP, Drogba etc..and i say use that money straight away to try and bring Abdial to arsenal
I think with the money generated from cole sale we should buy mascharano. we need a defensive midfielder also we were so weak in that area last season. with mascharano in the side we would have a great midfied again!