Terry on tour, Cole misses out

16 July 2009 11:52
Chelsea captain John Terry has joined the club for the pre-season tour of the USA - but Joe Cole misses out following knee surgery. There has been intense speculation in recent days about Terry's future after Mark Hughes confirmed he had made an offer to take the defender to Manchester City, but Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon again stressed on Wednesday that the player is not for sale. And, despite reports suggesting City will continue to work on a deal for the player, Chelsea have now confirmed that Terry will join up with the rest of the squad for the four-match pre-season tour. New signings Ross Turnbull and Daniel Sturridge also link up with the squad, while Yuri Zhirkov will join the tour at a later stage. However, Cole will not travel with the squad after having an operation that is set to keep him out of pre-season training. The England midfielder missed the second half of last season with a knee injury and, while the current problem is not expected to keep him out long-term, he is due to spend the next four weeks on the sidelines. A statement on the club's official website read: "Joe Cole underwent minor surgery yesterday (Wednesday) to correct a small tear in his meniscus in his knee. "In light of his previous surgery, excellent rehab and recent return to full training, this is only a minor setback and we expect Cole to return to full training in approximately one month. "As a result, Cole has not joined the party for the tour of America."

Source: SKY_Sports