Arsenal's winning culture was 'falling apart' - Ashley Cole reveals reasons for Chelsea move in 2006

Ashley Cole left Arsenal to join Chelsea in the summer of 2006
Getty Images
Joe Krishnan24 May 2020

Ashley Cole has revealed how a change in Arsenal's winning culture and the departure of key players convinced him to leave and join London rivals Chelsea.

The left-back was involved in one of the most controversial transfer sagas in recent memory 15 years ago, having met Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho in January 2005 to discuss a transfer while still at Arsenal in what was ruled a breach of regulations regarding clubs approaching contracted players.

Chelsea were handed a £300,000 fine and a suspended three-point deduction, while Cole and Mourinho were eventually fined £75,000 each on appeal.

A year later, Cole completed a £5million transfer to Arsenal on deadline day, with William Gallas moving in the opposite direction.

He enjoyed a successful eight-year spell at Stamford Bridge, making 336 appearances and winning seven trophies including the Premier League and Champions League.

Despite playing a key part in Arsenal's 'Invincibles' season in 2003/04, Cole's switch to west London made him an unpopular figure at the club where he began his career.

But the 39-year-old says he could sense a change in the club's direction when key players started to leave - and that is what convinced him to follow them out of the door.

Ashley Cole enjoyed plenty of success under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea  Photo: Getty Images
Getty Images

"The transition in terms of being in a different group, environment and players was easy because, at the time when I first started at Arsenal, we had a core – the Keowns, the Seamans, the Vieiras, the Henrys, the Adams'," Cole told BBC Sport.

"When they started to leave, I felt there were holes in the culture of what it was that brought success. I just felt it was falling apart a bit, or there were gaps missing, and they weren't filled.

"So that transition in terms of finding myself in a different culture and the willingness and want to win, I went to Chelsea, and I had that."

Cole previously wrote in his autobiography that he "nearly swerved off the road" when he learned of Arsenal's contract offer of £55,000-a-week, while Chelsea were reportedly offering a weekly wage of £90,000.
But he insists that money didn't play an important part in his decision to leave the Gunners.

"I was probably a little bit too stubborn at the time and felt a little bit hard done by," he added.

Cole celebrates winning the FA Cup in 2005 with Edu and Freddie Ljungberg  Photo: Getty Images
Getty Images

"I was a little bit babyish, to be honest, but it's something I won't ever regret, and I wouldn't ever change that situation.

"It's just something that happened. Maybe it was meant to be, who knows? But I definitely feel unjust about it because it wasn't what people think in terms of money.

"It's crazy, but that was probably the last thing on my mind."

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