Milan will intensify their efforts to prise Emmanuel Adebayor away from Arsenal this summer, after the Italian side's vice- president Adriano Galliani said yesterday that the Togolese striker was the club's only transfer target.
Galliani had previously stated that Chelsea's Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto'o of Barcelona and Tottenham's Dimitar Berbatov, together with Adebayor, were on Milan's radar as they looked for fresh blood up front after Alberto Gilardino's departure to Fiorentina and the serious injury to Ronaldo. But Galliani's determination to land Adebayor, who scored 30 goals for Arsenal this past season including one against Milan in the Champions League last-16 tie, has hardened.
"One single player interests us and that is Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor," said Galliani. "If he doesn't come, then nobody will come and we will keep the team as it is in attack."
Adebayor has sent mixed messages since the end of the Premier League season. He said that he was "flattered" at the interest from Milan and was also quoted in the Barcelona-based newspaper El Mundo Deportivo as stating that he would be "delighted" to play for the Catalan club if they can ever reach an agreement with Arsenal. "I don't know whether it would happen now or in two years or in 10 but I would love to play there," he said.
However, he has also maintained with vehemence that he is happy at Arsenal and wants to stay, leading to suspicions that the links to top European clubs are an attempt for leverage in the pursuit of a pay rise. Milan, though, who have already taken the midfielder Mathieu Flamini from the Emirates Stadium on a Bosman free transfer, insist that they are in talks over Adebayor, who Arsenal say is not for sale. "We are in negotiations with Arsenal, who are not willing to sell at the moment," said Galliani. "We'll see how far we can get with our offer. If the English club still don't want to sell, then too bad."
Source: Guardian.co.uk
Photo: Dailymail.co.uk
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