Contract rebel Cole wants Spurs move over Liverpool

• Poignant

  4 May 10, 12:48

  Liverpool target Chelsea's Joe Cole as Reds plan new era with free agent England star

  Liverpool want England and Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole to spearhead an Anfield revival.

  Cole is known to have infuriated Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich with his wage demands during preliminary contract talks.

  The 28-year-old is potentially one of the best Bosman free transfers on the
  market and Liverpool, who are driving to bolster their English contingent, have earmarked the skilful Londoner as a potential signing.

  

  In demand: Joe Cole is seen by Liverpool as having the star quality to spark a revival

  Manager Rafa Benitez has already signed up-and-coming stars Raheem Sterling (from QPR) and Jonjo Shelvey (from Charlton) and has talked openly about his desire to instill more ‘English passion’ into the club.

  

  High jump: Cole was celebrating Chelsea's crucial win with his team-mates at Anfield on Sunday

  Even if Benitez leaves, the club will look to sign at least two more English players over the next month as they pursue a policy of signing more homegrown players
  to prepare for new UEFA guidelines.

  Cole, who has struggled to hold down a Chelsea first-team place under Carlo Ancelotti, would give the club Premier League experience, plus the star quality that would appease disillusioned fans.

  He would not command a transfer fee but is looking for around £6.2million a year in wages — £120,000 a week.

  A move to Liverpool is believed to interest Cole as a next-best alternative to staying at Chelsea.

  But that plan was originally smoothed by the idea of the Anfield club qualifying for the Champions League — which they have not — and being in a position to build this summer.

  

  New blood: Highly-rated Charlton teenager Jonjo Shelvey will arrive at Anfield this summer

  Instead, Liverpool find themselves in turmoil with big questions over the management and ownership still to be resolved.

  That could open the door for Tottenham and Manchester City to make rival offers for Cole.

• Poignant

  4 May 10, 12:50

  JOE COLE IS INTERESTING - WENGER

  Arsene Wenger admits Joe Cole would be an "interesting target", but believes Arsenal's midfield is not an area that requires urgent strengthening.

  Cole's contract at Chelsea expires at the end of the season and he has yet to reach an agreement regarding an extension with the Premier League leaders.

  Chelsea's title rivals Manchester United have been mooted as admirers of the England international, while Tottenham Hotspur and former club West Ham United have been linked with a surprise swoop.

  Reports have also claimed that Arsenal could make a bid for the schemer, but while Wenger acknowledges Cole's status as a free agent has some appeal, adding another creative element to his team is not a priority.

  "Joe Cole is an interesting target, but do I have enough players in those positions? We shall see," said Wenger in the Daily Star Sunday.

  The Arsenal manager has been happy with the performances of his midfielders this season and, with the likes of Alex Song, Abou Diaby and Denilson at his disposal, he no longer needs to worry about finding a replacement for Patrick Vieira.

  He added: "First of all I must say that no matter how much money you spend to find a Patrick Vieira [it is hard to do]. Since I am in England, I hear 'this is the new Patrick Vieira' when a guy is tall and strong.

  "But I believe strongly that our midfield are developing very well with Song, Diaby and Denilson because they are young, very young, but different to Patrick Vieira.

  "I believe in them because if you compare them two years ago and this year they are tremendously improved and if they continue to play together, especially with Fabregas, they have a good understanding.

  "I believe the midfield was not a problem this year because we created so many chances from midfield and we dominated nearly all the games in midfield. I don't think we had a big problem in there. I believe we had a problem of efficiency defensively."

• As romanista2001

  4 May 10, 15:19

  Joe Cole so gong meh go Liverpool.....................he go there also will flop lah...........this over-rated over-hyped fool............

• dragg

  4 May 10, 15:41

  if all he cares about is more money i hope he leaves chelsea.

• angel7030

  4 May 10, 18:41

  Joe Cole is no more as good as he was before the injuries, in fact, he was no good from the start, remember Mourinho said " he is a lazy bum , never help out in the defence" , from then on, he do run back to help the defence, but lately , he is back to his old lazy mode again. Sell better lah, Chelsea can buy Aguero

• Y_Shun

  4 May 10, 22:39

  Yup... he is not that good anymore, even as a right winger, other than tricks, he lost his pace/acceleration... I seriously think Augero will be coming to Chelsea.

• gigabyte14

  4 May 10, 23:09

  he still not bad watttttt

  and someone tell wenger, only the goalie need to change

• dragg

  5 May 10, 09:44

  Originally posted by As romanista2001:

  Joe Cole so gong meh go Liverpool.....................he go there also will flop lah...........this over-rated over-hyped fool............

  
  i doubt any good players will opt to go liverpool until they have their mess sorted out.

   

• iceFatboy

  5 May 10, 09:51

  this is the bait by blues to land the big shark (torres)..

• Poignant

  5 May 10, 18:39

  he is not that joe cole anymore.

• godchuanz

  5 May 10, 22:18

  He's undoubtedly one of the most talented English players, but his attitude could be a problem.  It'll still be interesting to see him at Liverpool though.

  Anyway, Liverpool seems to have this little side business in recent years - buy players for free, then sell them 1-2 years on for a small profit.

• Rooney9

  5 May 10, 22:24

  Joe cole is beset of injuries in the last few years. also he is in the wrong side of 20s, going to reach 30 soon.

• zocoss

  7 May 10, 10:18

  

   

   

  JOE COLE wants to join Champions League qualifiers Spurs.

  Cole's Chelsea contract ends this summer and he would jump at the chance to be re-united with his old boss Harry Redknapp.

  Spurs clinched a place in Europe's biggest club competition with their 1-0 win at Manchester City on Wednesday. 

  But Cole, 28, was already looking to White Hart Lane even before that result.

  The England midfielder has been mulling over a huge offer from City themselves and knows of interest from Liverpool.

  But he does not want to move north and Spurs would suit him if they can come up with wages over the £100,000-a-week mark.

  However that could be a stumbling block as until now they have been reluctant to go above £60,000.

  Redknapp nurtured Cole from the age of 14 at West Ham.

  The Spurs boss is also interested in a fresh move for Craig Bellamy, whom he missed out on last year.

  He is also keen on midfielder Steven Pienaar, who has 12 months left on his Everton contract.

   

• dragg

  7 May 10, 10:24

  its crazy to pay cole 100k.

  i hope he leaves chelsea.

  he is a good dribbler and thats it.  his shooting and finishing sucks big time.

   

• zocoss

  7 May 10, 12:14

  After Chamakh, who rather take lesser to join Arsenal... He is the second player to turn down Liverpool... Anyway, for a free player, $100k is still very much ok. Cos any club would have to pay a transfer fee of between $12 to $15 million for him. But now they will only pay him weekly over a period of 4 to 5 yrs... No need to come out with one lump sum + salary somemore... A good deal in my opinion.

• Poignant

  7 May 10, 13:20

  Chelsea contract rebel Cole wants Spurs move over Liverpool

  Chelsea contract rebel Joe Cole would prefer a move to Tottenham over Liverpool.

  The Sun says Cole's Chelsea contract ends this summer and he would jump at the chance to be re-united with his old boss Harry Redknapp.

  Spurs clinched a place in Europe's biggest club competition with their 1-0 win at Manchester City on Wednesday.

  But Cole, 28, was already looking to White Hart Lane even before that result.

  The England midfielder has been mulling over a huge offer from City themselves and knows of interest from Liverpool.

  But he does not want to move north and Spurs would suit him if they can come up with wages over the £100,000-a-week mark.

• CKeer

  7 May 10, 14:28

  Come to United leh.

• Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1)

  7 May 10, 14:32

  Tis joe cole freaking funny
  
  
  becoz he see spurs going UCL qualifier
  
  
  then go
  
  

• gary1910

  7 May 10, 17:39

  If he demand for 120k wage per week, then I can almost certainly say go luck to Cole becos Spurs has a very strict wage structure, otherwise players like Bale, Modric  etc etc will all start to ask for more.

  So so player like Cole should not in the first place, be paid so much, no wonder Chelski do not earn much every year.

   

• Poignant

  7 May 10, 17:42

  120k? he's insane.

• Rooney9

  7 May 10, 17:42

  Originally posted by CKeer:

  Come to United leh.

  dun want lar. fergie is going to buy silva, dun waste the wages on cole. besides he is 29 and is quite injury prone for the last few seasons.

• Rooney9

  7 May 10, 17:44

  Originally posted by Poignant:

  120k? he's insane.

  he is thinking, since I am a free player with no transfer fees, I help you save the transfer fees and why dun you pay me a bit more only, its a win win situation.

  btw how much is he paid at chelsea? 80k a week?

• Poignant

  7 May 10, 17:45

  Originally posted by Rooney9:

  he is thinking, since I am a free player with no transfer fees, I help you save the transfer fees and why dun you pay me a bit more only, its a win win situation.

  btw how much is he paid at chelsea? 80k a week?

  only managers like mr rafael will kana fish up.

• gary1910

  7 May 10, 18:23

  Here wages to turnover ratio in 2009 for all the EPL clubs:

  

• youyayu

  8 May 10, 12:58

  how many london club he want to play for?