Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that Joe Cole will remain at the club next season.
The England midfielder has been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, with his current contract set to expire in the summer.
A deal is thought to have stumbled due to Cole’s desire for regular first team football.
“No, I cannot guarantee to Joe Cole that he’ll play for Chelsea in every game,” said Ancelotti. “I cannot guarantee that to any of my players.
“I never guarantee that to my players, even the big players. How can a manager guarantee that to the players? That’s impossible.
“I don’t have any news on his contract. He will stay at Chelsea next year. I’m 100% clear.
“I don’t like to speak about him all the time. He will be in the squad for next year, as I say.
“It’s my aim. It’s the aim of the club to keep him in the squad because Joe Cole is an important player, a very professional player, he has a lot of quality and is young.
“He is a player of the national team. He is English. For these reasons, we want to keep him in the squad.
“But I want to keep out maybe Joe Cole and Florent Malouda tomorrow. The team will be: Hilario, Ferreira, Alex, Terry, Zhirkov, Belletti, Ballack, Lampard, Deco, Anelka and Sturridge.
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