Wenger: We will decide if, or when, Cole goes

ARSENE WENGER has added fuel to the fire surrounding Ashley Cole by insisting Arsenal will make the crucial decisions on the player’s future, not Cole.

The England defender is set on a transfer to London rivals Chelsea, and Arsenal’s vice-chairman David Dein admitted last week that the two clubs are having “civil conversations” about the player rated at £20 million (€29 million) by the Gunners.

Although Cole has missed Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Austria, fuelling rumours of an imminent move across London, Wenger pointed out that the player is still under contract to them, and they will decide if — or when — he may go.

Shortly after Cole made a fleeting visit to the Arsenal training ground yesterday, his team-mates beat Austrian Third Division side Schwadorf 8-1 with the line-up that is likely to play in next week’s Champions League qualifying match.

But the Cole saga refuses to go away, leading Wenger to say: “Ashley Cole has returned to training and he is an Arsenal player.

“If Ashley is going to be sold he will be informed and if he is staying he will be informed about that as well. But he is still under contract and no-one else will decide what he does.

“It is frustrating to still be talking about one player who is not with us in Austria when we have 25 who are working hard and preparing for the season.”

Relations between Cole and Arsenal have been strained ever since the player blasted the club over the “tapping-up” scandal involving Chelsea.

The 25-year-old, who recently married Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy, criticised Arsenal while promoting his forthcoming autobiography.

Cole said: “Arsenal hung me out to dry, using me as a scapegoat to get back at Chelsea. The board ‘rewarded’ me with an insult and threw years of loyalty back in my face.

“I’ll reveal the shattering truth about who fed me to the sharks. It changed my view forever on the club I regarded as family.”

Meanwhile Wenger also insisted Cesc Fabregas and Jose Antonio Reyes are going nowhere, amid renewed interest from new Real Madrid boss Fabio Capello.

“They are not for sale,” insisted Wenger. “Arsenal have not received any offers for these players.

“I will be counting on them next season.” On the pitch last night Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor scored two goals each to set Wenger’s men on their way.

Johan Djourou, Kolo Toure, Nicklas Bendtner and Alexander Hleb also scored to seal an easy win for Arsenal.

Wenger added: “The team that played tonight will probably be the one that we use for the Champions League qualifiers because the injured players won’t be back in time.

“Also Thierry Henry and Jens Lehmann are not back in training until Wednesdy, which will probably leave them short.

“But overall, the preparations have gone very well for us out in Austria, especially because we have a lot of young players with us.”

Arsenal will meet either Dynamo Zagreb or FK Ekranas in the third qualifying round of the Champions League next week, with Zagreb taking a 4-1 lead into tomorrow night’s second leg between the sides.