Jose Mourinho has announced that Ashley Cole will be left out of the Chelsea side that will face Arsenal on Monday evening, days after he was pictured at the Gunners’ Christmas party, the Mirror understands.

The Blues boss has not publicly criticised the England defender, who attended the evening with his old club on his free day, and has stressed that he may not have been selected anyway due to the form of Cesar Azpilicueta, who has played at left-back regularly in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, Zenit St Petersburg forward Hulk has insisted that he is committed to the Russian club despite continuous links with a move to Stamford Bridge, according to Sky Sports.

The Brazil international, who is keen to cement his place in former Blues boss Luis Felipe Scolari’s squad for next summer’s World Cup finals, has been a reported target of Mourinho’s in both of his spells as Chelsea manager.

However the 27 year old, who has ten goals in sixteen appearances so far this season, has said that he is keen to remain with Zenit as they attempt to conquer both domestically and in the Champions League, in which the face last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund in the last sixteen.