Chelsea legend Ashley Cole is delighted to have joined Championship side Derby County.
The 38-year-old has joined the Rams on a short-term contract which will expire at the end of the season.
He reunites with former team-mate and fellow Chelsea legend Frank Lampard, who is managing the club.
Cole has been a free agent for the past few months after his contract with MLS club LA Galaxy came to an end following the conclusion of the US league last November.
The former England international will not be the defender that he once was during his heyday with Chelsea and Arsenal but he will provide valuable knowledge and cover to Lampard’s promotion-chasing side.
As things stand, the Rams are in sixth position in the second-tier standings and occupy the final promotion playoff spot.
With 18 Championship games left to play this season, they are several points adrift of second place Norwich City who currently occupy second place and the final automatic promotion spot.
Cole was widely regarded as being one of the best English defenders during the years of 2000-2010. During his time with Arsenal, he won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups. He was a key player for Arsene Wenger’s famous invincible side which won the league without losing a game during the 2003-04 campaign.
After moving on to Chelsea in 2006, he went on to win one Premier League title, four FA Cups, one League Cup, one Champions League and one Europa League.
After leaving Stamford Bridge in 2014, the defender went on to have stints with Roma in Italy and LA Galaxy in the USA before returning to his homeland with Derby this month.
As quoted by The Mirror, Cole said: “I have kept in touch with Lamps and seen how good the team has been playing and followed Derby.
“For me it was a no-brainer to come here and hopefully push for promotion. But it is going to be a challenge. I have not played in England for five years and it is a good tough league with strong players.”
