Emmanuel Adebayor eyes surprise return to football with French strugglers Montpellier after summer release from Crystal Palace
Controversial striker would face a big pay cut after his huge deals with Arsenal, Manchester City, Spurs and Real Madrid
EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR could be about to make a shock return to football with French strugglers Montpellier.
But the controversial striker will have to be realistic about wages if he wants to complete the deal.
The former Arsenal, Manchester City, Spurs and Real Madrid star has not played a game since being released by Crystal Palace last summer.
A proposed move to Lyon fell through in September because Adebayor insisted on playing for Togo in next month’s African Cup of Nations.
An inquiry from Arabian League club Al Wasl also came to nothing for the 32-year-old star.
But now Montpellier coach Frederic Hantz is keen to sign Adebayor a a replacement for injured striker Casimir Ninga, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season by a cruciate injury.
“As Ninga is sidelined, it seems to me to a good idea to bring in a top striker to improve our results,” Hantz said.
“If it's Adebayor, I'll do my best to make him as good as possible.”
But president Louis Nicollin is not so convinced about the value of a player whose last goal came back in February.
With Montpellier only three points above the relegation zone, Nicollin does not want to make any major financial commitments to a player who was paid £100,000-a-week by Manchester City and Spurs.
“We have already spent enough money this year and we’re not too keen to spend more,” Nicollin said.
