Tottenham Closing in on Loan for Adebayor

According to multiple reports, Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on a loan for Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor. The Togolese Adebayor, 27, is coming off a fairly successful January loan to Real Madrid. Recent reports have had Adebayor on the outs with manager Roberto Mancini and unlikely to be around the club this season.

The biggest issue to any acquisition of Adebayor in the past has been his wages, which at £110,000 a week far excede the Tottenham wage ceiling. But according to these reports, Manchester City is willing to partially subsidize his wages to make the move happen. 

On the field, Adebayor would be an immense addition. He is much more talented than any of the current Spurs strikeforce, and has a size and ball winning ability that could be immense in Tottenham's preferred 4-4-1-1. Adebayor's play has declined since his 30 goal breakout season 2007-08, but he has still 16, 14, and 13 goals per season since, despite battling injuries, being second choice, and the tragedy of the Togo bus attack in January 2010. Adebayor's addition would certainly improve the squad.

Off the pitch though, the move is much more questionable. Adebayor has long had a reputation as a "me-first" player, and has had falling outs with multiple managers and teammates. His dirty player reputation was only hampered by his kick to the face of Robin van Persie in 2009.

Even more so, Adebayor has a complicated relationship with the Spurs supporters. Adebayor has been despised by the Spurs faithful, and is still looked upon by many as being an Arsenal man, despite his celebrations and dirty play against the Gunners since leaving the club. Adebayor is no fan of Tottenham either, accusing the supporters of racial abuse against him.

In the end, Adebayor would be a fantastic move for Tottenham, allowing them to get a striker who perfectly fits their system without having to drop a massive transfer fee. With the economic situation of the club so unsettled with the possibility of having Champions League football or not, along with the financial burdens of a potential new stadium, an Adebayor one season loan could be the perfect thing to help Tottenham push for fourth without wrecking the club's stable financial structure.