AW: Cole may have Gunners future

Arsene Wenger maintains Ashley Cole could still have a future at Arsenal if his proposed sale to Chelsea fails to materialise.


The 25-year-old England left-back seemed certain to move to the champions, only for the transfer to grind to a halt as the two clubs were left millions apart in their valuation. Cole's position at Arsenal would seem untenable given both his desire to leave and the fact he criticised the club in his forthcoming autobiography.
Despite Cole on Friday morning issuing a statement through representatives declaring he had made himself "available for selection", Wenger declared the full-back would not be considered for the visit of Villa, while still keeping his future options open on the player. The Arsenal manager said: "I have given him permission to move and at the moment we have not reached the deadline. "I could put him in the squad and he could be sold tonight, so I do not want to be confronted with that situation. "As long as you do not reach the deadline, he has to be focused completely with us - to stay and readjust to the ambition of the club. "If he is not transferred, he will fight for his place like everybody else." Arsenal would seem to be in a strong position, not having to sell the player for a deal which did not meet their requirements. Chelsea, meanwhile, maintain they will not be held to ransom over the fee, with the Gunners believed to be holding out for around £25million. Wenger said: "If a transfer happens it is because people express their desire to move. "The only thing I can say is the official reasons are not always the real ones. He added: "At the moment it does not look like it. [the deal will be completed]. "I do not think it is any financial problem, I do not know what is stopping it - certainly not our demands." Wenger claimed he felt Cole would still be with Arsenal come September 1. He said: "I think here, because it has not happened - the transfer period started in June. "We are not at the end of August and still nothing has happened so why should it happen now?" Wenger maintained he would have no problem bringing Cole back into the first-team fold. "At the moment I feel he is available to be transferred. If it does not happen he will integrate into the team and we will give him the rules he has to respect." Wenger insisted: "If I have a player here and I think he is good enough to play he plays. "What is important to me is the interests of the club, all the egos and hurt or not hurt is not important. "What is important is who can help this club to be successful and if I feel he can help the club to be successful I will play him." Wenger feels Cole has applied himself professionally during the whole situation. He said: "Ashley is training very well. He has no problem. "There has never been any problem apart from the fact that he wanted to move and then he has not found a club." Wenger added: "He should be happy. He wanted to leave, we gave him permission to leave and if he is unhappy, he is unhappy, what can you do about it?"