Arsenal likely to recall Cole

ARSENE WENGER is set to recall Ashley Cole at Blackburn today as he insisted the full-back had finally recovered from the unsettling after-effects of his alleged ‘tapping-up’ by Chelsea.

Wenger again insisted Cole would sign a new contract at Arsenal, but said the defender had been troubled by the Premier League inquiry into his apparent meeting with Chelsea at a London hotel.

The Gunners boss left Cole out of the starting line-up at Bolton last weekend, citing a slight injury concern just two days ahead of his appearance before the inquiry.

However, Cole now looks poised to be recalled at Ewood Park, especially with Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp having joined Sol Campbell, Thierry Henry and Edu on the club's absentee list.

Wenger revealed: "Ashley is okay. He doesn't look troubled. At some stage, I feel it did affect him but now he's over it as the hearing has taken place. We've had time to reflect on the situation and he looks to me like he is over it.

"We have not interfered with what is going on as that is between the Premier League, Chelsea, Jonathan Barnett and Ashley Cole."

Despite Wenger's desire to keep Cole, the 24-year-old defender is said to have been frustrated by Arsenal's failure to agree improved terms on a new contract.

Wenger believes certain influences are trying to destabilise Cole but insists that he will stay put, rather than moving to Chelsea or leaving on a free transfer at the end of his current deal.

"Will Ashley stay for many years to come? Yes. That's my wish and I believe it will happen. Anyway, he is under contract until 2007," he said.

"The whole problem came about because we felt he deserved a pay rise. I want it to be sorted and I think it will be, but I can't tell you that it is yet."

Cole is not the only Arsenal player recently linked with a possible move away from Highbury, with Real Madrid said to be interested in luring Patrick Vieira and Jose Antonio Reyes.

"We always face that problem, more than anyone else. Maybe because we are not known to have a huge financial power and it's the same every summer," said Wenger.

"But I'm not concerned by it. We have more problems saying no to the players who want to join us than with the players who want to leave us. There are always a lot of flirtations. Maybe it's because we are now in spring.

"But I accept the situation we have here and I'm happy to live with it. We haven't lost many players in the past six or seven years as we have a very stable group. That's because of the quality of the football we play and the quality of spirit in our squad.

"It's better you win a trophy every season but you have to be realistic it's not always achievable. If Arsenal won a trophy every year, we would have 120 trophies."

Arsenal's chances of winning a trophy this season now rest on the FA Cup, with the Gunners drawn to face Blackburn in the semi- finals. Wenger therefore believes that today's lunchtime encounter (Prem Plus, Ch 433) is important in gaining a psychological advantage for the cup encounter.