Chelsea set to offer Ashley Cole a new contract

Ashley Cole

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed that left-back Ashley Cole will be offered a new deal at the club, despite losing his place in the side recently. Despite being a right-back, Spaniard Cesar Azpilicueta has been preferred to Cole at left back in recent weeks.

However, Mourinho is readying a contract for Cole, who he is also preparing to welcome back to the starting eleven for tomorrow night’s game with Steaua Bucharest.

“Naturally he will get a contract because he’s a valuable player for us,” said Mourinho.

Cole has played nine league games for Chelsea this season, but has not featured in any of their last five Premier League outings. Cole is out-of-contract at the end of the season, and has been linked with a move to the MLS in the USA in recent weeks. However, Mourinho moved to allay fears that the England left back could be on his way out of the club.

“Even if you are not playing every game and you are not a first-choice player, like he was always, I don’t think sometimes it means that you are not well, you are not in well conditions, you are not deserving a new contract,” continued Mourinho.

“But the way he trains is super professional, as always. He’s a fantastic trainer, fantastic professional.”

“When he’s on the bench behind me, I can feel that he’s there to win, even if he’s not on the pitch.”

“I feel he’s fine. And I think tomorrow he’s going to show that he’s fine. He starts tomorrow.”