Joe Cole – out of contract this summer – is understood to have a contract offer from a leading MLS club on the table of around $200,000 a week!
Reports emerged this morning in The Sun of a “contract talks” pause for him and all other players coming out of contract until the club is entirely safe from relegation.
But in fact this is entirely normal and has nothing whatsoever to do with relegation or survival as the co-owners never discuss contracts until the summer anyway!
Cole is desperate to remain at Upton Park but we have been told he will definitely be allowed to leave at the end of the season and is likely to turn down the MLS offer as he’s keen to remain in this country.
It’s going to be a very busy summer for the club chiefs as they also have to decide the futures of Matt Taylor (set to stay), Jussi Jaaskalainen (unlikely to renew), George McCartney ( new deal likely) and Danny Potts (50/50).
They will also find themselves locked into negotiations with Winston Reid who will have a year left on his deal and Ravel Morrison!