Ashley Cole Officially Joins Roma

Ex-Chelsea defender Ashley Cole is set to join Italian side AS Roma after leaving the Blues as a free agent.

twittertwitterFormer Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole is expected to sign for Italian side Roma today, his agent has confirmed. The defender left Stamford Bridge as a free agent this summer when the Blues opted not to renew his contract. The Serie A club Tweeted a welcome message earlier this afternoon alongside a photo of the 33-year-old arriving in the Italian capital. Cole's agent, Jonathan Barnett, said: "Ashley is out there and we are hoping it will be finalised today." It is understood only the duration of the contract remains to be negotiated before the move can be made final. Roma published a photograph of the former Arsenal fullback with the message "Welcome to Rome, Ashley," the clearest indication yet that the veteran defender has decided where to play next following the end of his stay in London. Cole was reported to have been weighing up eight offers, with Monaco and PSG interested. Cole spent eight years with Chelsea, winning the Premier League in 2010 and Champions League two years later. He won a further two league titles with Arsenal, along with three FA Cups and a Community Shield, during another eight-year stay with the Gunners. Roma will compete in the Champions League next season, after finishing runners up to Juventus in Serie A.
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Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.