Spurs banking on Adebayor's move from Man City

Redknapp saw him score twice for Madrid to knock them out of the Champions League and is banking on the deal to go through.

Manchester City's Emmanuel Adebayor, left, could be heading to White Hart Lane.
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Harry Redknapp is hoping Emmanuel Adebayor will become the latest former Arsenal player to move to Tottenham Hotspur after confirming yesterday that negotiations over a loan move for the striker are underway.

Adebayor fell out of favour with Roberto Mancini, the Manchester City manager, last season and the Italian has made it clear the £25 million (Dh148.75m) striker has no future at the club.

Spurs and City have been in negotiations for some time over a deal, with Adebayor wages proving to be the only real stumbling block.

Redknapp hopes both clubs can overcome that hurdle as soon as possible, and there is the possibility the 27 year old, who spent three and a half years at Arsenal, could turn out for Spurs against Manchester United on Monday.

Redknapp said: "The chairman is talking to Man City about the player, but where they [the negotiations] are at, I genuinely don't know. We will wait and see.''

While the former Togo international has been a controversial figure during his time in the Premier League, his ability to score goals has never been in doubt.

The striker scored 46 goals in 104 appearances for the Gunners, and Redknapp also saw how lethal he was last season when he scored twice against Tottenham for Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg clash at the Bernabeu.

Spurs fans chanted abusive songs at the former Arsenal marksman during that match, but the player himself said this summer that the songs would not put him off signing for Redknapp's team and he is not the first player to turn out for both north London teams.

David Bentley started his career at Arsenal but is currently in the Spurs squad, and William Gallas quickly became a fans' favourite when he moved to White Hart Lane from Arsenal last year.

Redknapp was in Twente in Holland on Tuesday night to watch the striker Bryan Ruiz, but a deal for the Costa Rica international now looks unlikely.

"He is a good player but we are more desperate in other areas," said Redknapp, who was speaking ahead of tonight's Europa League play-off first leg against Hearts in Scotland. "I don't think anything is going to happen."

Should Adebayor arrive, he is unlikely to be Redknapp's last summer signing.

Injuries in midfield mean moves for Lassana Diarra, Scott Parker or Thomas Hitzlsperger, who is training with the club after being released by West Ham, are possible.

Redknapp saw his side miss out on a Champions League place last year and fears the same if new faces are not added due to the big-spending antics of rivals Liverpool and Manchester City.

"I want to get back in the Champions League but that's going to be difficult because three places are already taken probably. I can see a scrap between ourselves, Arsenal and Liverpool. We do need to get one or two [players] in if we are going to challenge."

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