SKY BET have named Liverpool and Manchester City the favourites to land Chelsea winger Joe Cole this summer. The 28-year-old is currently discussing a new contract at Chelsea, but the England international is free to sign a pre-contract with another club as his current Stamford Bridge deal runs out in the summer.
Tottenham Hotspur manager was heavily linked with a move for Joe Cole, should talks with Chelsea with breakdown following Redknapp’s tutoring of the winger when he was an up and coming starlet at West Ham. However Tottenham Hotpsur have been price out of the running by SKY BET at 25/1.
SKY BET now make Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool and Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City the favourite’s to land the West London star, with both clubs priced at 10/1. The financial restraints at Liverpool would make the free transfer signing of Joe Cole, value for money, as well as the added impetus of signing a rival’s fan favourite.
Manchester City have already raided Chelsea for left back Wayne Bridge and right winger Shaun Wright Phillips, and according SKY BET the Citizens could be set to try and lure another Chelsea star to the Eastlands.
SKY BET – JOE COLE’S NEXT CLUB: -
LIVERPOOL – 10/1
MANCHESTER CITY -10/1
ARSENAL -12/1
INTER MILAN -20/1
MANCHESTER UNITED – 20/1
TOTTENHAM HOTPSUR – 25/1
REAL MADRID -33/1
BARCELONA – 33/1
Talks between Joe Cole and the Chelsea heirachy are ongoing, however the longer it takes for the former West Ham star to sign a new contract at Stamford Bridge the more speculation will appear regarding the England winger’s future.
Despite the bookies speculating that Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal could make a move for Joe Cole, in January Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti was eager to stress that his England winger would be staying at Stamford Bridge:
"I don't have any news on the contract of Joe Cole but he will stay at Chelsea next year," added the manager.
"I'm 100% clear. The club want to keep him and he has told me he wants to stay. He's a very important player.
“It's normal that you have a discussion about things like this [contracts]. The club wants to save and the player wants to earn more money. That's normal."