Roberto Di Matteo 'very optimistic' Ashley Cole will sign new Chelsea contract

Roberto Di Matteo is “very optimistic” Ashley Cole will sign a new contract at Chelsea before the the transfer window opens after the left-back's first goal for 28 months kept them top of the Barclays Premier League.

Blues boss Di Matteo has no fears the man he hailed as a Stamford Bridge "legend" would reach January in a position to be able to pen a pre-contract agreement with a rival club.

"I'm very optimistic that it will be dealt with before that," Di Matteo said after watching Cole net a vital late winner in the European champions' 1-0 victory over Stoke.

Di Matteo confirmed he had recommended to the Chelsea board that they keep Cole "as long as they can" before waxing lyrical about the 31-year-old, who controversially joined the club from Arsenal six years ago.

"He has become a legend - he is now Chelsea through and through," said Di Matteo.

"But I wouldn't say it's just happened recently. He's been here many years and has contributed a lot to this club."

Hailing Cole as an ideal example for Chelsea's new players to follow, he added: "He's a fantastic pro, which I'm not sure whether you know.

"Somebody that's the first one out in training, one of the first into the building with JT [John Terry], trains every day like a professional, reliable, somebody that you could go to war with.

"And he's a very quiet guy as well. He's very private at his own stuff.

"He's one of the best left-backs in the world."

It is said that Cole suffers from a persistent ankle problem that can limit his ability to train but Di Matteo said: "He's physically very good, very strong, has the ability to recover very quickly from game to game. Offers us a lot on that left hand side."

Cole does not offer many goals but asked whether he would urge him to get forward more often, Di Matteo said: "He'll have to buy me dinner. That's what I'm going to ask him.

"For two years, he hasn't scored and now he has, so he should buy me dinner."

PA