Former Arsenal, Chelsea and England international full back, Ashley Cole, is considering a spectacular return to English football.
Cole, now 36, is currently playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy in the American MLS, and has now made nearly 40 appearances for the club, since his move there in 2016 from AS Roma.
But Cole has been offered the chance to have one last crack at English football by ambitious Championship side Birmingham City, now under the leadership of Harry Redknapp. Redknapp inherited a team desperately low on confidence and form after the disastrous spell in charge by Gianfranco Zola, who managed only two wins from his 24 games as boss of the Blues, and only a last day result secured Birmingham’s Championship survival.
Redknapp though is remoulding the squad for what he sees to be an opportunity to get Birmingham back into the English Premier League, and thinks Cole can play a vital role in helping them do that. Cole’s LA Galaxy contract expires at the end of their current season, but with his club considering a move for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, they could well consider letting Cole go to give them breathing room to pay the wages Ibrahimovic would expect for a switch to the Galaxy.
Ashley Cole had a glittering career in England, representing his country 107 times and winning the Premier League on three occasions, as well as having seven FA Cup winners medals. Cole was also part of the Chelsea Champions League winning team of the 2011/12 season
ASHLEY COLE FACT FILE
- 107 international caps
- 636 career appearances (all clubs, all competitions)
- 18 goals
- 112 yellow cards
- 7 red cards
- 16 major honours (3 Premier League, 7 FAC, 1 Champions League, 1 Europa League, 3 Community Shield, 1 League Cup)
