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Emmanuel Adebayor

Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor (born 26 February 1984 in Lomé) is a Togolese football player of Nigerian descent who plays for Arsenal as a striker.

Club career

Adebayor started his professional career at a training camp in Lomé. He made it to the U-15 level and was spotted by French club FC Metz. After a trial, Adebayor joined the club in 1999 and played at the U-17 level for two years before joining the first team. In his first season, he played nine games and scored twice. In the 2002–03 season, Adebayor scored seventeen goals in 35 games. AS Monaco signed him to a contract in 2003, and he scored seven goals in seventeen appearances, helping them reach the Champions League final with two goals in ten games.

Arsenal

2005–06 season

On 13 January 2006, Adebayor signed for Arsenal for an undisclosed fee reported to be £3m. He was given the nickname "Baby Kanu" due to his resemblance to former Arsenal star Nwankwo Kanu, who Adebayor had idolized as a youth.

On 4 February 2006, Adebayor made his Arsenal debut in a Premiership match at Birmingham City and scored after 21 minutes, with Arsenal winning 2–0. At the end of his first season for the Gunners he had scored four goals in ten matches. However, Adebayor was cup-tied for Arsenal's 2005–06 Champions League campaign as they reached the final against Barcelona, having appeared for Monaco in the qualifying rounds of the competition.

2006–07 season

Adebayor scored Arsenal's winning goal against Manchester United to give Arsenal a 1–0 win at Old Trafford, their first league win of the 2006–07 season. Earlier in the game, Adebayor was brought down in the six-yard box to earn Arsenal a penalty, which was taken by Gilberto Silva and saved. On 8 November 2006, Adebayor scored the only goal of the match to send Arsenal into the quarter finals of the League Cup against Everton

He was sent off in Arsenal's 2–1 Carling Cup final loss to Chelsea. He was shown the red card after a fracas towards the end of the match involving both Chelsea and Arsenal players. It was alleged that he had thrown a punch at Frank Lampard. The FA subsequently gave him an additional one-match ban and a fine of £7500 for failing to leave the field of play immediately, as well as a three-match ban for the red card.

2007–08 season

Arsenal fans celebrate Adebayor by chanting "Ade-bay-or, Ade-bay-or" to the tune of Westminster Chimes. On 19 January, after scoring twice against Fulham, the fans sang, "Adebayor, Adebayor, give him the ball, and he will score". After scoring a penalty during the 3–1 win over Portsmouth, his two goals against Tottenham helped Arsenal win 3–1 in the first North London derby of the season. Adebayor then scored his first hat-trick for Arsenal in a 5–0 home win against Derby County on 22 September; this was the second-ever hat-trick scored at the Emirates. He was involved in a controversial incident on 22 January in which he clashed with teammate Nicklas Bendtner seven minutes from the end of a 5–1 League Cup semi-final defeat to Tottenham. Bendtner appeared to cut his nose in the clash, for which Adebayor apologised the following day. Three days later he scored the hundredth goal at Emirates during the side's 3–0 FA Cup victory over Newcastle United F.C. Starting on Tuesday 4 March against AC Milan, Adebayor went on a goalscoring streak in the Champions League. Despite having never scored before in the competition, he scored a goal in the 2nd leg against AC Milan at the San Siro. On 13 April in a Premier League game against Manchester United Adebayor scored Arsenal's only goal, a game which they lost 2–1 at Old Trafford. On 19 April Adebayor scored yet again in a 2–0 win over Reading F.C.. He scored his second hat-trick for Arsenal after coming off the bench at half time in the 6–2 win against Derby County on 28 April, making him the only player in the Premiership's history to score a hat-trick home and away against the same side in the same season. Although Arsenal finished the season empty handed, he ended the season joint 2nd with Fernando Torres in the race for the golden boot. He was named in the PFA Team of the Year. Adebayor's second goal against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane won Match of the Day's Goal of the Season competition for the 2007–08 season. Adebayor was third in the official Arsenal.com player of season, as voted by the fans.

2008–09 season

On the summer transfer window he was linked with a 30 million pound move to AC Milan and Barcelona but later insisted to stay at the club after he signed a long contract worth £80,000 a week. On 13 September 2008, Adebayor scored a hat trick in Arsenal's 4–0 win away to Blackburn Rovers, getting his first league goals of the 2008–09 season. Adebayor also scored two goals in a 4–0 win against FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League group stage game at the Emirates Stadium.

International career

Adebayor chose to play for Togo despite being eligible for Nigeria. Adebayor helped Togo qualify for the 2006 African Cup of Nations by scoring eleven goals in the qualifiers, more than any other player in the African qualifiers. He has been nominated for African Footballer of the Year.

He was called up for the 2006 African Cup of Nations, where he was a substitute for the country's first match, following a row with the coach. Adebayor first vowed to leave the tournament and return home, although he later resumed training with the side. Togo were eliminated after losing all three matches. He was dropped by Togo following the row over bonus payments. However, Adebayor was brought back into the Togo team in September 2007.

Club career statistics

(Correct as of 1 October 2008)

Club	Season	League			Cup			Europe			Total
Club	Season	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists
AS Monaco	2003–04	31	8	-	-	-	-	9	0	-	40	8	-
	2004–05	35	9	-	-	-	-	10	2	-	45	11	-
	2005–06	13	1	-	-	-	-	2	0	-	15	1	-
Total											100	20	-
Arsenal	2005–06	13	4	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	13	4	4
	2006–07	29	8	4	7	4	0	8	0	0	44	12	4
	2007–08	36	24	4	9	3	0	10	3	1	49	30	5
	2008–09	6	3	2	0	0	0	2	3	1	8	6	3
Total		84	39	14	10	7	0	21	6	2	114	52	16

Style of play

Adebayor is a forward who plays both as a target man with his back to goal and as the striker wanting a through ball. He also often drops deep to link up play with the midfield, particularly in wide positions, to bring team mates into play. He uses his physical presence to win aerial balls and has scored many of his Arsenal goals with his head.