Joe Cole was hailed as the ‘next Paul Gascoigne’ when he was a youngster coming through at West Ham.

So it’s only right that, as his career winds down towards the end, he goes and joins ‘the next Pele’, who has drifted off into unfulfilled obscurity.

With his contract expiring at Coventry, Cole could be set to move to NASL and link up with the one and only Freddy Adu at Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Cole flew out to visit the North American Soccer League club last month, with Coventry manager Tony Mowbray confirming the former England international is set to leave these shores when his contract expires.

His options abroad are pretty appealing and I am sure a lot of people would fancy them. Mowbray (Daily Mirror)

So forget the MLS because NASL will be the league to watch when it launches. Adu and Cole will be joined by a whole host of household names.

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Fort Lauderdale Strikers will be built around former Man United midfielder Kleberson, while the smart money is on Tomi Ameobi for the golden boot winner if he’s anything like brothers Shola and Sammy.

You stay classy America.