Striker Adebayor completes his move to Man City
Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor has completed his move to Manchester City after passing his medical and signing a five-year deal.
Emmanuel Adebayor: Done deal.
• Wenger in no rush to replace Ade
The 25-year-old striker will cost the club around £25m where he will join Carlos Tevez and Roque Santa Cruz in a new look City frontline.
Several hundred City fans were at the stadium to welcome Adebayor, who hopes to help the ambitious club move forward.
"It made me feel really welcome and special and I can't wait to play for City's fans and show them what I can do," he declared after completing the bulk of the paperwork.
"I was born to play football and that is what I want to do. I have come here to make history for this club and those supporters. It what the chairman and the manager told me that they want too and I can't wait to get started.''
Asked what the manager and chairman had said to convince him it was the right move, Adebayor replied: ''That this is a team, maybe in one year or two years, that will be one of the best in the world.''
''We have to fight for the club, we have to fight for the team. As you can see, the fans believe in us that we can bring them something. That's what we're going to fight for now.''
Adebayor claims he left the Emirates with coach Arsene Wenger's blessing after three and a half years in north London.
''It (leaving Arsenal) was a little bit difficult but at the end of the day it's a game,'' he added on Sky Sports News. ''They will have made money as well. I had a good discussion with Arsene. I have all his blessing to leave the club so I'm very happy.
''I went through a lot of good moments in Arsenal and a lot of difficult moments as well. I'm very happy to be a player who played for Arsenal.
''I wish them the best of luck. No matter what happens they will always be in my heart because I love the club.''
Blues boss Mark Hughes is delighted to have secured the services of yet another high class international star with his peak years still in front of him.
"Emmanuel has been one of the top forwards in the Premier League since he arrived from France and we are delighted he has agreed to come and join us," he declared. "Along with the other signings we have made in the last two windows he will greatly enhance our ability to compete with the top sides.
"His arrival is another clear indication that we are determined to augment the players we have here with the best of international talent.
"He adds vital balance and power to our attack. He has everything a top forward needs. He is versatile, powerful, quick and agile on the ball. I am looking forward to working with him as are the rest of the staff. He will definitely add a new dimension to our play. I have been a great admirer for a long time."
Adebayor is expected to join up with Mark Hughes' touring side in South Africa in the next few days as City look to continue to add to their squad with the, so far unsuccessful, captures ofJohn Terry and Joleon Lescott.
Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger says he has no plans to replace Adebayor after agreeing to sell him to Manchester City.
''We're not on the verge of signing anybody but I'm able to spend the money if we find the right players,'' he said. ''We're not in a hurry because we have a big squad. We'll see in pre-season if we need to make any additions.
''If we need to add something we will. Chamakh is one of the players we've followed and if we need to go for a striker he's a possibility. We're keeping an eye on him.
''We have Rosicky and Eduardo back so we've lost a big striker but have gained two offensive players who were absent last season. We also have Nicklas Bendtner, Andrey Arshavin, Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott who can play striker. We have top players we can use as strikers.''
Wenger understands Adebayor's desire to leave the Emirates and admitted he was joining a growing force in the Premier League.
''We'll miss him - he's a great player. I'm sure he'll give something special to Man City,'' he said. ''I don't believe that last season he got enough support and I think that played a part in his mind.
''There was a bit of resentment you could feel through last summer. I believe he wanted to do well but didn't have the confidence of the year before. If you consider the money we paid for him it was good business, but that was not our main target.
''It's a good opportunity for him because City could be a big force in the coming years. Carlos Tevez, Robinho and Gareth Barry have done it. Man City will be a threat to the top teams.''
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