Adebayor returns to Spurs in permanent switch

Tottenham Hotspur yesterday announced that Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor has returned to the club on a permanent basis after signing from Manchester City.

Adebayor, 28, spent last season on loan at White Hart Lane from City and scored 18 goals in 37 appearances to finish the campaign as the London club’s leading scorer.

Spurs did not reveal how much they had paid to secure Adebayor’s services but reports in the British media claimed the transfer fee was £5 million.

“I am pleased to be signing for Spurs on a permanent basis after finally agreeing my departure with Manchester City,” Adebayor told the club website.

“It may have taken longer than expected but I am delighted to be back at Tottenham Hotspur. I really enjoyed my time here last season and I am hoping we can achieve great things together again.”

Adebayor is new Tottenham coach Andre Villas-Boas’ third summer signing after Icelandic midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson joined from German club Hoffenheim and Belgian centre-back Jan Vertonghen arrived from Dutch giants Ajax.

Beaten 2-1 at Newcastle in their opening game of the season, Spurs had started the 2012-13 season with Jermain Defoe as their only senior striker.

Roman Pavlyuchenko left to join Lokomotiv Moscow in January, while Frenchman Louis Saha was released in June.