Joe Cole, the former Chelsea and England midfielder, recently opened up about his near miss with Manchester United during his career. As his time at West Ham United came to a close, Cole was in high demand, with multiple clubs vying for his signature. Ultimately, a move to Chelsea materialized, but not without a twist involving a potential loan to Russian club CSKA Moscow.
Reflecting on his career, Cole shared insights with FourFourTwo, revealing that Arsenal initially had first refusal on both himself and fellow player Michael Carrick. However, Arsène Wenger opted out of pursuing Cole. Meanwhile, Alex Ferguson expressed interest in signing him but had to wait for Juan Sebastián Verón to join Chelsea, which delayed negotiations.
Then, unexpectedly, Chelsea entered the fray. “All of a sudden Chelsea came in for me, a bid was accepted and I was told, ‘Go and speak to Claudio Ranieri, and sign,'” Cole recalled. His childhood allegiance to Chelsea made the move especially appealing. At just 21 years old, Cole signed with the club shortly after Roman Abramovich took ownership.
Despite the excitement of joining Chelsea, Cole revealed that the club initially considered loaning him out to CSKA Moscow. “Looking back, they’d signed Geremi from Real Madrid, Veron, Damien Duff, and Manu Petit was coming back from injury,” he explained. “I was signed as a ‘we’ll see what we do with this kid.’”
His father intervened by rejecting the loan proposal, opting not to inform Cole about it. Instead, Cole focused on securing his place in the Chelsea squad. “I was just thinking, ‘Let me try to get into this team and play as many minutes as I can,’” he said. His efforts paid off, as he appeared in 50 matches during that season, with 25 starts and an additional 25 appearances off the bench.
Cole’s time at Chelsea proved to be fruitful, as he helped the club secure three Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and a League Cup. He became known for his ability to challenge Manchester United, notably scoring a goal against them in April 2010, a key moment that contributed to Chelsea’s title run that year.
In 2008, the rivalry between Cole’s Chelsea and Manchester United reached a climax in the UEFA Champions League final held in Moscow. Despite the intense competition, United emerged victorious, claiming the title in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.
Reflecting on his career choices and experiences, Cole’s story highlights the unpredictable nature of football transfers. His decision to join Chelsea instead of Manchester United not only shaped his career but also left a lasting impact on the clubs involved.
