Ashley Cole finally opens up on leaving Arsenal for Chelsea

Ashley Cole has opened up on his move to Chelsea and the initial incident that saw him get fined for being tapped up by The Blues in 2005.

The former left-back met with Jose Mourinho and Peter Kenyon in 2005 behind Arsenal’s back.

He was fined £100,000 — later reduced to £75,000 on appeal, he stayed on at Arsenal for another season before sealing a move to Chelsea for £5m with William Galas going the other way as well.

He has never really opened up on the issue before now, but he recently spoke to Jamie Redknapp in a very candid interview about everything that went on at that time including the eventual fee.

He admitted that he wanted to leave Arsenal, but he wasn’t thinking about Chelsea or any other English team. His goal was to play for Barcelona or Real Madrid in Spain.

But he met with Mourinho and Kenyon in a hotel, they had both been there to meet another player.

On meeting Chelsea behind Arsenal’s back, Cole Said via Mail Online:

“My contract was running out at Arsenal. I went to speak to an agent who represented Spanish clubs. My intention was not to stay in England — I wanted to sign for Barcelona or Real Madrid. So I went to a meeting. I didn’t hide. I didn’t hire a private room. It was a meeting room in a hotel, and the meeting before was Jose and Kenyon meeting an agent about another player. I walked in. Then someone serving sandwiches came in and, wanting to make money, said there were contracts on the table. It was lies. There was no conversation with Chelsea.”

On how he eventually left Arsenal for Chelsea a year later, he said:

“A year later, I was married, I’d moved into a new house. My agent called and said: ‘Chelsea have come in for you.’ I’d agreed with Arsenal I could go for £5million to anyone. Then Newcastle called me: ‘Hey! Thank you! It’ll be great to have you with us!’ I was like: ‘What? Where have you heard that?’ They said they’d agreed a deal with Arsenal. OK, £5m, fair enough, we had an agreement. Then when Chelsea came in, it was: ‘No, £30m.’”

Tags Ashley Cole

8 Comments

  1. Don’t much care about Cashley anymore, wish he would just pipe down. No need to explain unless you’re losing the arguement.
    Great player but we’ve moved on so he should as well.

      1. Never said it was a “problem.” Merely implied he is old news. He made the decision to explain, and it doesn’t seem any less contrived now. “Coincidence” is his rationale, call me skeptical.

  2. He’s a big liar. He always lie. I remember his wife saying he left Arsenal ‘cos he wanted to play for Chelsea as too many French speaking in the dressing room made him uncomfortable.
    Secondly he said he left Arsenal to win trophies
    Thirdly in his own book he said he left ‘cos his agreed wages was pittance.

    So you see he’s not a truthful person. I think he’s now having a torment about his image and legacy in the game.

  3. Cashleys tragedy was that onfield he impressed people, as he had great talent and fight But off field he was a weak character,a chancer and loser, So his tragedy came at the end of every game, when in order to become worthwhile in other peoples eyes, he always had to wait til the start of the next game.

    Most fans either care not a jot for this “villain” of yesteryear OR still dislike him intensely as the weak charactered snake he was.

    Me? I just feel rather sorry for him BUT that will not stop me writing what I believe is the truth about him.

  4. Remember, Mourino claimed an alibi that he was in Milan and he’s also saying he met Kenyon and Mourino there. Which is which. Big liar

  5. Why are you trying to explain ? We don’t really care, as it does matter anymore. We have legends who where loyal to the club as players and are still loyal in retirement. As far as am concern, Ashley Cole is not one of those. He is not even remembered in Chelsea.

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