Source: Team_Talk
Mourinho rules out swoop for Cole
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has ruled out making a big-money summer swoop for Chelsea full-back Ashley Cole.[LNB] The former Blues boss confirmed that he had been keen to bring the England international to Spain but was put off by the Stamford Bridge club's reluctance to do business.[LNB]Mourinho brought Cole to West London in a controversial move from Arsenal in the summer of 2006 where he continued his progress into one of the best left-backs in the world.[LNB]The 29-year-old was reported to be considering a move away from England after the breakdown of his marriage to singer Cheryl Tweedy, but a move to Santiago Bernabeu now appears to be out of the question.[LNB]Mourinho told the Sunday Times: "Carlo Ancelotti was very, very clear and that's the best way in football. [LNB]"He killed the story by saying, 'No money can buy Ashley Cole, Ashley Cole needs to stay'.[LNB]"I think Ashley thought about leaving for personal and professional reasons. We thought about him because he's a good player who I enjoyed working with.[LNB]"But when a coach says no, it's no, and we have to accept that."[LNB]Mourinho was also linked with Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard and Chelsea's Frank Lampard after leaving Inter Milan for the Primera Liga giants.[LNB]And while the Portuguese confirmed he tried to land Lampard while he was at the helm of the Serie A side, he feels both players are now entering the latter stages of their career and would be too costly to land with little future sale value.[LNB]He added: "Steven is part of Liverpool history, he belongs to Liverpool Football Club. And he is so important for them that the price is not a price for a 30-year-old player.[LNB]"It was the same when I tried to take Frank Lampard to Inter. It's not a problem for Inter to pay the millions Frank had in Chelsea or for Real to pay the millions Steven has in Liverpool.[LNB]"The problem is for the club to buy a player of 30 years who you cannot then sell."
