What someone like Cole would add is publicity. You sign some plonker from the lower divisions in the UK and its a small item buried in the DomPost. Sign someone like Cole and its TV sports news...big news
The media love that sort of stuff.....top striker, ex Man U, bucket loads of goals blah, blah...
it creates interest. Every Joe in the street has heard of Manchester United and the Phoenix have signed one of their best players!!!! People would flock in to the home games to see him. It could add at least 1000 extra per game. Thats $25 to $30k extra per week....up to $300,000 extra per season.
For the football purist there are lots of reasons not to sign someone like Cole. But the Phoenix is also a business...its about publicity, reaching a bigger audience, growing the game.