‘People didn’t realise’… Aaron Lennon admits Chelsea legend was a very clever footballer

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Former Tottenham Hotspur winger Aaron Lennon has been singing the praises of one Chelsea legend.

Aaron Lennon was recently speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s YouTube channel FIVE, where the retired England international hailed Ashley Cole.

The two had many battles back in the day, and Lennon thinks it went unnoticed how clever Cole actually was on the pitch.

Cole made 337 appearances during his time at Chelsea and won a plethora of major honours, including the Premier League and Champions League.

Ashley Cole a clever footballer

Lennon has hailed Cole as an intelligent player.

Discussing the Chelsea legend on FIVE, the former Spurs man said: “People didn’t realise, Ash was actually a clever footballer also. So he’d mix his runs up.

“Sometimes he’d be going outside, then inside. He wasn’t just overlapping, he’d mix his game up. I don’t think Ash is rapid, but he could run, he was quick. He had an amazing engine. I had some good battles against him.”

Chelsea’s current left-backs

Chelsea today have some good options for the left-back position, including Levi Colwill and Ben Chilwell.

However, neither player is quite at the level Cole was at, with the former not even a natural left-back.

The former England star is arguably the greatest left-back the Premier League has seen. There is a long way to go before Colwill and Chilwell can be compared to him.

The latter may really find it difficult to reach Cole’s level as he continues to pick up injuries.

Chelsea are now being linked with Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies, though there is a fear that the Blues could miss out on him to Real Madrid.

However, if the club can lure the Canada international to Stamford Bridge, he would be a great signing.

Davies is incredible going forward, averaging 2.7 dribbles per game in the Bundesliga this season (WhoScored), which is really impressive for a full-back. He is someone who may have the potential to become something close to Cole.

The fact that Chelsea do have Colwill, Chilwell and Marc Cucurella, though, means it would not be a complete disaster if the club fail to bring Davies to west London next year.