LA Galaxy midfielder Steven Gerrard has described the franchise’s signing of Ashley Cole as a ‘master stroke’ after he sealed his move from Roma this week.
The former England international saw his contract terminated by mutual consent with the Italian giants, which in turn paved the way for Galaxy to sign him on a free transfer.
While Gerrard has played alongside his former international teammate for many years including at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, he is delighted that he has now joined him in LA as the franchise look ahead to the new season.
“I think it is a master stroke by the club,” he said, according to ESPN FC. “I know he looks after himself, he’s very professional, he’s hungry, he loves the game, and defense is one of the areas we went wrong last year.
“Ashley is a world-class defender, and he’s still got a lot to offer, so it’s a very good bit of business.”
With the squad returning to training this week, Gerrard was adamant that the new faces will have plenty of time to integrate, which in turn can set them up for a successful campaign.
While the former Liverpool man conceded that the defence in particular wasn’t strong enough last season, he insisted that the whole team has a role to play in ensuring that they become a tighter unit.
The addition of Cole will certainly help, as the former Chelsea and Arsenal left-back will now look to get his career back on track in order to enjoy the last few years before retirement after an unhappy spell in the Italian capital.
After initially struggling under Rudi Garcia at the Stadio Olimpico, Cole’s first-team opportunities were severely limited for the majority of the time that he spent at the club. As a result, a fresh challenge will undoubtedly be welcomed with open arms as he now hopes to start playing regularly again.
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