Ashley Cole's legal team admit it is very likely they will take a restraint of trade case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after losing their appeal against his guilty verdict in the tapping-up row with Chelsea.
Cole's fine for illegal talks with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and chief executive Peter Kenyon has now been reduced from £100,000 to £75,000 by a Premier League appeals committee.
However, while Mourinho's fine was also reduced to £75,000 from £200,000, both men were still found guilty of having flouted Premier League rules with their controversial talks at a London hotel.
After the original hearing, Cole's legal team had pledged to contest the matter all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if they were unsuccessful in their appeal.
The Arsenal full-back must therefore consider whether it is in the best interests of himself and his club to now drop the matter and focus completely on the new season or to fight on a matter of principle.
A statement issued on Cole's behalf by solicitor Graham Shear last night read: "Whilst the decision to reduce Ashley Cole's fine was encouraging, we were very surprised with the result because the appeal commission seemed receptive and sympathetic to our arguments on restraint of trade."
