Emmanuel Adebayor is ready to go to war with Manchester
City to force a loan move to Tottenham in January.
Former Gunners striker Adebayor is desperate to go to Spurs,
even though he knows it would make him even more of a hate figure
among Arsenal fans than he already is.
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp, who already caused a furore by
signing former Arsenal captain William Gallas, is keen on Adebayor
and even wants City to pay half of his £120,000-a-week wages so he
fits into the wage structure.
Adebayor, 26, has had a succession of bust-ups with City boss
Roberto Mancini and they are now ready to let him go out on loan in
January.
<!-- generic settings -->
City have drawn up a hit-list of players they are ready to do
business on in January and Adebayor is at the top along with the
likes of Roque Santa Cruz and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Big-spending City have been reluctant to sell to any of their
top four rivals and refused to let Craig Bellamy go to Tottenham
last summer.
Liverpool have been sounded out as City would far rather
Adebayor goes to Anfield but it is believed they are so keen to
offload him they are seriously considering doing a deal with
Tottenham.
There has also been interest from Juventus but Adebayor is keen
to stay in England even if it means becoming public enemy number
one at Arsenal.
Adebayor has had a string of rows with Mancini and now the City
boss regards him as a troublesome figure. Adebayor will use that as
a weapon if he needs to force his way out in January because he is
desperate to get more regular games.
But Adebayor must still overcome the huge obstacle of persuading
City not only to let him go to Tottenham but to also to get them to
pay half his wages to help a rival club potentially finish above
them.
Redknapp believes Adebayor could help Tottenham make a push for
the title and, having won over the fans on Gallas, believes the
ex-Arsenal striker would be accepted at White Hart Lane.
Aston Villa are keen on England winger Wright-Phillips who may
be allowed to go in January after talks over a new contract
stalled.
Paraguay striker Santa Cruz, 29, is desperate to quit and AC
Milan have expressed an interest but City would have to take a huge
loss on the £18m paid for him in June 2009.
Milan believe they may be able to get him for around £7m while
there has also been interest from Lazio, Blackburn and
Espanyol.
Shay Given is also unsettled at City but they do not want to let
him leave, even though Fulham and Manchester United are watching
developments.
There is also interest in Pablo Zabaleta from AC Milan, while Jo
and Michael Johnson may also be allowed to go.
