Ashley Cole poised to join Derby County in reunion with former team-mate Frank Lampard

Ashley Cole #3 of the Los Angeles Galaxy paces the ball on the left wing during the MLS against the San Jose Earthquakes during the second half of their MLS match at StubHub Center
Ashley Cole has been out of contract since the Major League Soccer season ended in late October Credit: Getty Images

The Derby County owner Mel Morris is now prepared to back Frank Lampard with the signing of Ashley Cole until the end of the season, as the club push for promotion to the Premier League and make progress in the FA Cup.

Having lined the deal up before Christmas it looks like Lampard will now get his former Chelsea team-mate Cole, 38, as cover at left-back - one of English football’s most famous names playing in the Championship for the first time since his loan spell at Crystal Palace 18 years ago.

Derby have been at the limits of their playing  budget thus far this season but Morris has been encouraged by the progress made, especially after the victory on penalties away to Southampton in the FA Cup third round replay on Wednesday night.

It means that there will be special dispensation given to cover the salary of Cole until the end of the season. Cole has been out of contract since the Major League Soccer season ended in late October and keen to play again in the English game before he makes any long-term decisions about retirement. He is thought to have kept himself in shape over the last three months.

Lampard was aware when he took the job that there would be limitations placed on him financially but the Cole deal makes sense for Derby in terms of the profile of their squad, as well as there being a certain attraction for the club in such a big name joining.

Sixth in the Championship, Derby have struggled for squad depth in recent weeks, especially defensively. The move for Cole means they will allow Aberdeen to keep their on-loan left-back Max Lowe until the end of the season.

With 107 caps, Cole is England’s sixth most capped player of all-time with one more than Lampard himself. Cole left Chelsea in 2014 after eight years when his final contract there expired and spent two largely uneventful seasons contracted to Roma in Serie A. He had three much happier seasons at LA Galaxy, although the team failed to make the play-offs in the latter two seasons he was there.

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