Leaving Arsenal to go to Chelsea in 2006 was the best thing that ever happened to England left-back Ashley Cole, according to his agent Jonathan Barnett.
He believes Cole’s £5million switch to Chelsea; a move which saw William Gallas go the other way, was the best move for the former England international.
Despite Barnett admitting that Cole would have stayed at Arsenal had they not gone back on their word, he claims that the move to Stamford Bridge was much more beneficial to his client.
The full-back forced the move across London when he was left “trembling with anger” after Arsenal had offered him a contract worth £55,000-a-week, with Cole reportedly close to crashing his car when he heard the offer.
And Barnett, who was fined £100,000 and banned from all footballing activity for 18 months for his involvement in the deal, insists the defender would have signed the contract had Arsenal been honest about his contract.
I think I made mistakes. But I also think I was harshly treated. I was made a scapegoat, because it goes on all the time.
If Arsenal hadn’t gone back on their word, Ashley would have stayed 100% and that would never have happened. But [moving to Chelsea] was probably the best thing that ever happened to Ashley Cole.
Arsenal won nothing, he won everything and financially he was much better off.
