Wenger: Cole deal down to Chelsea
Arsene Wenger has warned Ashley Cole he must sort out his future quickly and start playing football again.
Cole’s proposed transfer to Chelsea has dragged on all summer and the Arsenal left-back has still not made the switch.
Wenger insists there is no problem between the clubs over money and no point of principle stopping Arsenal from selling to their local rivals.
Cole did not feature in today’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa but his move across London remains uncertain and Chelsea expect to complete the signing of Dutch international defender Khalid Boulahrouz from Hamburg this weekend.
Wenger said: “We are ready. From our part there’s no problem. Why don’t you ask Chelsea what the problem is? I don’t know.
“It is not true that we have turned any offer down.
“I am interested in football and for me Ashley Cole is a great football player who must play football at a top club.
“Of course it is business when you start to talk about transfers but what is more important is the interest of his career.
“Where does he play? What kind of football does he want to play?
“When you are a top-level player you need to focus on what’s very important for you and that is to play football at your best.
“It’s also difficult for us. We have a player and we cannot really count on him. Is he with us or not?
“We have to sort this situation out quite quickly. The numbers are not so important for Chelsea. They just bought a player.
“This situation is not a money situation. We have not turned down an offer. The problem is not between us and Chelsea.”
Chelsea are understood to have upped their offer to £20m (€29m) but are reluctant to go further.
Wenger said: “He has permission to leave if a club come in and makes the right offer.
“If that doesn’t happen the consequence will be that he will stay.
“If nobody gives us the right offer what can you do?”
The Arsenal boss also insists he will play Cole when he thinks he is ready.
That is unlikely to be in Wednesday’s Champions League qualifier second leg against Dinamo Zagreb.
The Gunners are 3-0 up from the first leg and there is no need to cup tie Cole and add an extra complication to the transfer.
Wenger added: “I will play him next week if I judge him fit enough to play.
“Chelsea have had June, July, August. Everybody says Chelsea are interested in buying Ashley Cole but they have had three months now to buy him.
“He doesn’t need to ask for a transfer because we gave him permission to leave when he extended his contract at the end of last season.
“Now we are at the beginning of a new season and if nothing happens I believe he will stay.
“It was down to some frustration at some stage but I don’t think he is deeply unhappy to play the kind of football we play, or to play with his partners or under me.”
