Manchester United are favorites to sign Joe Cole in the summer if the midfielder fails to sort out his contract with Chelsea. However, I believe (for a number of reasons) that Cole would be a big misfit at Old Trafford.
Cole is an attacking midfielder who has got pace and an ability to score goals. He played a crucial role in the team when Jose Mourinho was the boss at Chelsea. However, his absence for 18 months due to a knee injury and inconsistent form on his return has seen him warm the bench under Carlo Ancelotti.
Joe Cole wants an increase in his wages and that is the only reason why his contract talks with Chelsea have stalled. The Blues are unwilling to increase the midfielder's wages from £80,000-a-week to in excess of £100,000.
Sir Alex Ferguson has been an admirer of the mercurial Englishman and it is believed that Fergie will be favorite to win the battle if Cole and Chelsea can't reach an agreement. Other English clubs like Tottenham, Liverpool and Man City are also monitoring Cole’s position and may plan to secure his services.
I know Joe Cole is a great player but I just don’t see him fit at Manchester United due to these reasons:
- Cole generally plays on the wings and United have plenty of options in that area with Nani,Giggs, and Valencia.
- If Man United sign Ribery or Angel Di Maria in the summer, then there’s more competition on the wings.
- Depending upon the form of Gabriel Oberton, he too may challenge for a first team place since he too is a similar player to Joe Cole.
- Just like the horrible injury of Owen Hargreaves that has seen him out of action for more than two years, Joe Cole too has suffered a serious injury and may need attention from time to time.
- The most important factor – Will Man United be able to match Joe Cole’s high salary demands? I don’t think so.
Manchester United is already battling ways to reduce the huge debt on the club. Though David Gill has stated that Fergie has cash to splash in the summer, I don’t think he’ll think of signing Joe Cole.
Fergie had played a gamble by bringing Michael Owen on a free transfer last summer which has not even yielded average returns. I don’t think he’ll play another gamble on Cole, who probably may move to Italy.
