Ashley Cole May Quit Chelsea At The End Of The Season

The Daily Mail reports that the Chelsea star has rejected the offer of a one-year contract extension, and will make this his last season with the Blues.

Real Madrid and Paris St Germain - currently managed by Cole's former bosses Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti - are already lining up negotiations with the 31-year-old, the report claims.

But there's another even more intriguing possibility raised: Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is reportedly very keen to bring the England left-back to Old Trafford.

Yet despite the Mail's certainty that Cole is off, Paper Round can't help thinking there's a very good chance that this could be little more than a negotiating tactic. Reports last week confirmed that Chelsea are sticking to a new policy of refusing deals of more than one year to players over 30, and Cole - who is still at the height of his powers - could just be calling his paymasters' bluff.