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Benoit Assou-Ekotto is on the radar of Roma as the Italian club seek a replacement for Ashley Cole.
The defender has been without a club since he was released by Tottenham last month but he is believed to have been at the Stadio Olimpico for Roma’s 1-1 draw with Juventus in Serie A last night.
Under Italian transfer rules, Assou-Ekotto cannot sign for Roma this season even though he is a free agent. But it is thought the Cameroon international would be permitted to train with the club ahead of a possible deal in the summer.
Roma brought Cole to the club last summer following his departure from Chelsea but the former England international has struggled to adapt to life in Italy.
Greece international Jose Cholevas has been preferred to Cole at left-back in most games and sources in Rome believe the club will be happy to let the 34-year-old go at the end of the campaign.
A move for Assou-Ekotto, 30, would be surprising at he has not played a competitive game since Queens Park Rangers, where he spent last season on loan, beat Leicester 1-0 in the Championship on April 19 last year.
His last game in the top flight was for Spurs against Sunderland on the final day of the 2012-13 campaign.
