Ashley Cole says he was forced to leave Arsenal in 2006 because the club broke a promise they'd made to him. The England icon, 44, said he felt "disrespected", ultimately prompting a £5million (plus William Gallas) move to Chelsea. In his autobiography, Cole infamously admitted he was left "trembling with anger" and nearly drove his car off the road after hearing that the Gunners were offering him just £55,000 per week - a figure Chelsea reportedly doubled when they signed him.
But according to the legendary left back, his umbrage stemmed from the fact that Arsenal had promised to pay him a lot more. "My situation was I knew what I was worth," he said on That Peter Crouch Podcast. "If you don't want to pay it, no problem. But we did agree to pay it. Everything was agreed and then they pulled the rug [from] under me. They broke their promise - I couldn't tell you why.".
Cole's move to Chelsea followed a charm offensive that lasted more than 18 months. In 2005, he met Blues manager Jose Mourinho and chief executive Peter Kenyon in a London hotel without informing Arsenal, prompting a £100,000 fine (later reduced £75,000 on appeal) from the Premier League for attending a 'tapping-up' meeting. Chelsea were also fined £300,000, and Mourinho was fined £200,000, while Cole's agent, Jonathan Bartlett, had his licence suspended for a year-and-a-half, on top of a £100,000 fine.
When Cole's move to Chelsea was confirmed, Arsenal fans felt betrayed, particularly since the defender was an academy graduate, and seen, by many, as a future captain of the club. When the two sides met for the first time since the transfer in December 2006, Gunners supporters waved fake £20 notes with pictures of Cole, dubbed "Cashley", on them.
