By Harry Harris, Football Correspondent
Ashley Cole has denied that he is seeking £200,000-a-week to re-sign for Chelsea but has been ridiculed by Arsenal fans on Twitter for suggesting he is greedy.
Cole, who left Arsenal in 2006 and criticised the club for failing to pay him what he felt he was worth, took to the social networking site on Sunday to insist that contract talks with the Blues have not stalled for financial reasons, as had been reported in the day’s newspapers.
He tweeted: “Contract talks have not stalled just started, and 200k are you for real, I’d never ask for that.”
Cole then added: “Like I said before don’t listen or always believe what media say they aint got a clue.”
“This is Arsenal fans you are talking to, we know about your greed,” one reply said.
Cole then took the bait: “Arsenal fans get over it, I left I won,” adding the hashtag #ihaveastaronmyshirtnow, in reference to Chelsea’s Champions League success in May.
The Sunday papers took up a story that ESPN had broken last week which stated that contract talks had started, while the Sunday tabloids suggested that they had stalled over his demands.
The facts are that Cole, who already earns £135,000-a-week, would expect to an offer “close to” £200,000-a-week as a free agent when he would be in the position of power – but he could accept less to stay at the Bridge and extend a deal which runs out in 12 months.
