Wenger does not expect Cole to leave

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
19 Aug	3:00 PM	P	Aston Villa (H)	1	1	Draw

Arsène Wenger cast further doubt over Ashley Cole's potential transfer to Chelsea by stating yesterday that he still expects Cole to be at Arsenal at the end of the transfer window.

It is no secret that Cole wants to join Chelsea; the only sticking point so far has been the transfer fee - Chelsea are only prepared to pay £16m, whereas Arsenal still value Cole at closer to £25m.

With Cole not present at the official Arsenal team photographs and so far not selected for any competitive matches for the club, a resolution to the saga seems some time away.

"I've given him permission to move and at the moment we have not reached the deadline," Wenger said yesterday.

"I could put him in the squad and then he could be sold tonight so I do not want to be confronted with that situation.

"As long as you don't reach the deadline he has to be focused completely with us, to stay and readjust to the ambition of the club.

"At the moment it doesn't look like [the deal will be completed]," Wenger admitted.

"I don't think that it is any financial problem, I don't know what's stopping it — certainly not our demands."

"But if he's not transferred he will fight for his place like everybody else. If I have a player here and I think he's good enough to play he plays."

When asked whether Cole was likely to be at Arsenal or elsewhere at the end of the transfer window, Wenger was convinced that Cole would not leave.

'I think [Cole] will be here," said the Arsenal manager. "It has not happened [yet and] the transfer period started in June. We are not at the end of August and still nothing has happened so why should it happen now?"

So another two weeks to go until the end of the transfer window and hopefully the situation will be resolved. I would expect Chelsea to finally increase their bid as the deadline looms and then for Arsenal to finally let Cole go for a sum closer to their valuation.

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