Arsenal's tactics infuriate Ashley

Ashley Cole's relationship with Arsenal is close to breaking point due to his dismay with his club's stance at the Premier League 'tapping-up' inquiry.

The Commission's findings will not be delivered until 1 June but Cole opposed Arsenal's application to have the verdict delayed and wanted it to be delivered as soon as possible.

The Arsenal defender is upset that vice-chairman David Dein testified against him and in an extraordinary second day of the hearing in London the divisions between Cole and his club were revealed for all to see before proceedings were adjourned.

Such is his unease that the England defender voluntarily returned to observe proceedings yesterday - only 72 hours before he is due to appear in the FA Cup Final against Manchester United - and will not have liked what he witnessed. Standard Sport can reveal that:

Having prized Campbell away from Tottenham on a free transfer, Arsenal look like losing Cole the same way. The 24-year-old's talks have broken down and after events of this week a resumption appears inconceivable, with Cole likely to leave for nothing when his contract expires in two years.

Wenger, who was not required to give evidence after initially being called by Chelsea as a witness, fears that Cardiff could be Cole's final game for the club. He said: "I'm more concerned that the agent will try to move Ashley than us not wanting to talk to his agent. On our side, we have no problem with speaking to him and signing a contract, but what the agent will want to do, I don't know."

Cole's advisers have claimed Arsenal reneged on an agreement to pay the England defender £60,000 a week. Cole's team presented minutes from a board meeting to the inquiry which alleged that Cole's new deal was cut to £55,000 per week on the instruction of Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood.