Jose Mourinho rules out Real Madrid bid for Ashley Cole

Jose Mourinho has ruled out bringing Ashley Cole to Real Madrid following a summer of speculation over the Chelsea full-back’s future.

Cole, who Mourinho brought to Chelsea in a controversial move from Arsenal in 2006, has been strongly linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge.

And while Mourinho did confirm he had approached the Blues about bringing the defender to the Bernabeu, Carlo Ancelotti promptly informed the Portuguese coach that Cole was not for sale.

“Carlo Ancelotti was very, very clear and that’s the best way in football,” Mourinho told the Sunday Times.

“He killed the story by saying, ‘No money can buy Ashley Cole, Ashley Cole needs to stay’.

“I think Ashley thought about leaving for personal and professional reasons. We thought about him because he’s a good player who I enjoyed working with.

“But when a coach says no, it’s no, and we have to accept that.”

Mourinho has also long been an admirer of Steven Gerrard, but admits his value to Liverpool means the midfielder’s price tag is too high.

“Steven is part of Liverpool history,” he added. “He belongs to Liverpool Football Club. And he is so important for them that the price is not a price for a 30-year-old player.”

And the former Chelsea boss also confirmed he tried to bring Frank Lampard to Inter Milan during his spell at the Serie A club.

“It was the same when I tried to take Frank Lampard to Inter,” he continued. “It’s not a problem for Inter to pay the millions Frank had in Chelsea or for Real to pay the millions Steven has in Liverpool.

“The problem is for the club to buy a player of 30 years who you cannot then sell.”