Crystal Palace have signed Emmanuel Adebayor on a free transfer until the end of the season.
The former Arsenal and Manchester City striker had been without a club since the mutual termination of his Tottenham Hotspur contract at the start of this term.
BREAKING: #CPFC are delighted to announce the signing of striker Emmanuel Adebayor. https://t.co/sImRJ7jlSS pic.twitter.com/aPEoM6bPPe
— Crystal Palace FC (@CPFC) January 26, 2016
According to The Sun, Spurs agreed to pay Adebayor’s hefty £100,000-per-week wages until he found a new club. His last appearance for them was in May 2015.
The Mirror report that his wage demands to join Palace were £77,000 per week, which is likely to make him the highest earner at Selhurst Park by some distance.
Adebayor has previously been linked with Aston Villa and West Ham United, but goal-shy Palace have been leading the chase for him in this January transfer window.
Palace’s crop of strikers – Connor Wickham, Dwight Gayle, Marouane Chamakh and Fraizer Campbell – have yet to score a Premier League goal from open play this season.
Alan Pardew’s side might well be in the Champions League race had they had a more prolific striker. They were level on points with fourth-placed Spurs before Christmas.
But a run of no wins and one goal in six games – an own goal by Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen – has seen them drop to 11th in the table, 11 points adrift of the top four.
Adebayor – 96 goals in 230 Premier League appearances – has the pedigree to propel them up the standings, but he comes with some well-publicised baggage.
The 31-year-old has eventually been exiled by every English club that he has played for, but his short-term contract might mean that Palace see only his good side.
SEE MORE:
Video: Tottenham midfielders neck and neck in training ground race!
Tottenham fans give unproven defender vote of confidence after learning of Vertonghen injury
Blow for Tottenham’s title hopes as key international faces months out of action after altercation