Cole wants club future sorted quickly

JOE COLE wants to sort out his club future sooner rather than later after claiming an unhappy final season at Chelsea was down to “political rather than footballing reasons”.

Cole was “devastated” after England’s World Cup campaign came to and end via a 4-1 reversal against Germany in Bloemfontein yesterday. But now he wants to turn his attention to where he will be playing next season after the end of his spell at Stamford Bridge. Inter Milan and Arsenal are amongst the clubs being linked with a move for Cole.

Cole said: “I want to get my future sorted as quickly as possible. My season for Chelsea wasn’t great for what I believe were political reasons rather than footballing reasons. Carlo Ancelotti, I love him, I’ve got big respect for him. I don’t want to go on into it now. It isn’t the time.

“It is not financial and it is nothing to do with Carlo. I love Carlo. I think he is a top guy and a top manager.

“I loved my time at Chelsea, I love the fans but it is a story for another day and I will tell it but now is not the time.”

Cole added: “The next contract I sign will be a footballing decision. I want to play in a more central position.

“I want a manager who has faith in me and I’m talking about club football here. It is a big decision for me and my family but I’m open to anything at the moment. My phone has been turned off but now I want to sort it all out.”

Meanwhile Brazil striker Luis Fabiano has revealed a move to Manchester United would be “very attractive”.

He said yesterday: “I have made it clear I will not be signing a new contract with Sevilla and at 29 I now need to join a club where I can start challenging for the highest honours from the first season.

“The choice will come down to Man Utd and AC Milan, That is the sort of team I want to be signing for, one of the true giants of Europe.

“You think about being Wayne Rooney’s strike partner and that is very attractive for any striker.”

Meanwhile Bayer Leverkusen director of sport Rudi Voller believes Michael Ballack is the missing piece in the club’s jigsaw and that success is now just around the corner.

Leverkusen signed Ballack on a free transfer from Chelsea earlier this week, bringing the 33-year-old back to the club he represented between 1999 and 2002, and Voller is now optimistic about his side’s chances of glory next season.

“We were just lacking something and I think that Michael is that,” he declared. “He is the ultimate lead figure.”

One man who won’t be leading Liverpool next season is Marseille boss Didier Deschamps who has ruled himself out of the running to become the next manager of Liverpool.

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson had looked most likely to take over before Marseille’s title-winning coach Deschamps emerged as a strong contender.

He explained: “I am happy at Marseille. I am not there for just one year. A coach must be there for the long haul, and that is my wish.”

Liverpool chief executive Christian Purslow contacted Marseille and asked to speak to Deschamps – a request which was turned down by Jean-Claude Dassier.

Dassier claimed: “He asked me if I allowed him to meet Didier and Jean-Pierre Bernes (Deschamps’ agent). I replied that I did not allow any meeting to take place.’’