Source: Telegraph
Real Madrid-bound Jose Mourinho hints at raid for Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole
Mourinho is expected to be named as Manuel Pellegrini's successor at the Bernabeu in the next 48 hours, once the Spanish club and the Italian champions have reached a compromise over the Portuguese's £13.2 million release clause at San Siro. [LNB]Despite not yet being confirmed as the club's new manager, the former Chelsea coach has hardly been reticent to discuss his plans for his first season in Spain, responding at length to questions over his tactical ideas in an interview with the Spanish newspaper As. [LNB] Related ArticlesJose Mourinho 'will fit perfectly' at RealReal pave way for MourinhoFA unfazed by Inter-Capello linkChelsea confident of keeping Ashley ColeMourinho's sad goodbyeMourinho move 'not even close''I like to play with four at the back,' said the 47-year-old, when asked how he envisioned his Real side lining up. 'Though my teams are always ready to play with only three, a system I have used to win many games over the years. But normally we will play with four, but with two offensive full-backs in the style of Maicon and Ashley Cole.' [LNB]Mourinho's mention of Cole, who he signed for Chelsea from Arsenal in 2006, is likely to set alarm bells ringing at Stamford Bridge, particularly in the context of Maicon, believed to be Mourinho's first request of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez in the transfer market. [LNB]Real are thought to have made substantive inquiries into the possibility of signing the Brazilian international already, though they are likely to have to pay as much as £30 million to convince Perez's Inter counterpart, Massimo Moratti, to part with a player who formed a key part of Mourinho's treble-winning side. [LNB]It has been suggested that Cole may be willing to leave London for Madrid in a bid to seek solace after the collapse of his marriage to the singer Cheryl Cole, who has filed for divorce after a string of allegations over the player's private life. [LNB]Mourinho, though, is also known to be an admirer of the Lazio full-back Aleksandar Kolarov, the Serbian international, a player cast from a similar mould to Cole but who would not come with the England defender's £25m price tag.[LNB]Mourinho has also suggested Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard are players he will look to bring to the Bernabeu.[LNB]He said: "I like players in the final part of their careers. [LNB]"I love to have some players who are 33 or 34 years old...they are players that you buy and you won't recover this money, but if they give you good performances for two or three years you've got your money's worth. [LNB]"Both (Gerrard and Lampard) are great players who always give everything." [LNB][LNB][LNB]
