David Dein has revealed that Arsenal were close to keeping Ashley Cole at the club before he left in 2006.
The left-back, who won two league titles including in the 'Invincibles' season, left to join fierce London rivals, Chelsea, in 2006, with William Gallas coming the other way.
It was during a period shortly after the move to the Emirates stadium in which the Gunners fell short of their previous highs and struggled to recover. Dein, former co-owner and vice-chairman of the club, admitted something was close to being agreed.
