Terry plays down Cole link

Chelsea captain John Terry tonight insisted the Blues do not need to sign Ashley Cole – as they already have a world-class left-back in Wayne Bridge.

Jose Mourinho has confirmed he is interested in recruiting a replacement for Celestine Babayaro, who was sold to Newcastle in the transfer window, during the summer.

And Mourinho recently revealed his admiration for Cole.

He has so far side-stepped allegations that he was involved in an illegal meeting with the Arsenal full-back at a London hotel last month, with the Premier League carrying out an official inquiry.

However, Terry insisted that Chelsea do not need to sign Cole, even if they had the chance to prise him away from Arsenal this summer.

“’Bridgey’ is a first-class player and one of the best left-backs in the world, so why do we need to go out and do that? We’ve already got a world-class left-back,” he insisted.

“Ash is a great player, I’m not denying that, but if you spoke to him, I think you’d find he’s Arsenal through and through.

“It’s the same with me. I don’t ever want to leave Chelsea. I think Ashley is the same at Arsenal.

“It’s all about opinions. I’m not Sven-Goran Eriksson’s first-choice. If Mr Mourinho had the chance to buy Sol Campbell or Rio Ferdinand, would he? I don’t know, you’d have to ask him that.”

Terry is certainly determined to oust either Ferdinand or, more realistically, Campbell from the England side after being at the forefront of Chelsea’s title campaign.

“Chelsea are my bread and butter. If I can play well for Chelsea, week in and week out, and be consistent then that’s my target,” he told BBC Radio Five Live.

“But hopefully Mr Eriksson will be watching and will choose me ahead of the other two. They’re good players but it’s down to me to prove him wrong.

“I was a bit gutted that I missed out on the friendly against Holland. I picked up a knee injury in training the day before the Manchester City game and I was struggling before the game with a bruised bone in my knee.”

Terry’s cause was helped with today’s presentation of the Barclays Premiership player of the month award for January, while Mourinho was given the manager’s prize for the second time this season.

Keeper Petr Cech also won a special merit award for keeping 10 clean sheets in a row, with Chelsea not having conceded a league goal in 961 minutes, giving some backing to Terry’s view that their defence is hardly in need of an urgent overhaul.

The Chelsea skipper, who was only the third defender to win the monthly award after Ferdinand and Ledley King, declared: “That’s good company to be in. They’re two great defenders and to be alongside them is a great achievement for me.”

There was further positive news for Chelsea as managers were given the go-ahead to continue sending on tactical notes with their substitutes.

Mourinho handed a written message to substitute Jiri Jarosik when the Czech international came on at Goodison Park last weekend and this note was promptly passed onto Portugal midfielder Tiago.

Referees’ chief Keith Hackett declared: “Effectively there’s nothing in the laws that prevents it happening. It does not constitute a danger any more than people being in the technical area.

“Chelsea have been a little more sophisticated and a little different. The Football Association were aware of it and it’s legal.”