The NOTW alleged yesterday that Jose Mourinho and Peter Kenyon met with Cole on Thursday at a hotel in London.
Chelsea have refused to deny the Sunday newspaper reports, and Mourinho himself joked about the alleged meeting following his side's 2-0 victory over Birmingham City in the fourth round of the FA Cup yesterday. He shrugged off questions on the matter and kidded reporters that he had been in Milan talking to Internazionale's Brazilian striker Adriano.
It is said that the allegations are being taken very seriously and, if proved to be correct, would mean that they have broken K3 of the Premiership's regulations on illegal approaches to players or "tapping up" as it is known. That offence is punishable by either a heavy fine, points deduction or suspension from the Premiership. Hill-Wood added: "The Premier League rules are very clear on this matter. If the club are presented with evidence that those rules have been contravened, I am sure we will take the matter further. These are very serious allegations and we will be investigating the matter as quickly as possible. It has been reported in a very definite manner and that makes you think something untoward has gone on. We cannot let this pass. Ashley Cole is under contract to Arsenal for another two seasons and I am sure the club will be talking to him about these reports in an effort to get this matter resolved. It would not be the first time that another club has tried to speak to our contracted players."
Kenyon of course has a track record of such tactics having been previously caught talking to the England coach, Sven-Goran Eriksson, at his home in March last year during Chelsea's search for a new manager.
Cole, 25, was alleged to have had the meeting with Kenyon, Mourinho and the ubiquitous Chelsea fixer of choice Pini Zahavi on Thursday at the Royal Park Hotel.
Cole's agent, Jonathan Barnett, denied that his client had attended a meeting. He said: "Any suggestion that Ashley Cole has spoken to anyone at Chelsea is total and utter nonsense. There is no problem between Ashley and Arsenal. Ashley is extremely happy at Arsenal he has neither asked for nor considered a move."
Ashley Cole has made no comment.