Ashley Cole admits he was ready to leave Chelsea in the summer.

England left back Cole confessed he was close to quitting the double winners in the summer at the height of his off-the-field troubles, with Jose Mourinho desperate to take him to Real Madrid.

Cole said: "There was a time in my head where I thought I needed to leave England, but I had a sit-down with the manager and he made it clear I was going nowhere, so it was end of story."