Former Striker Emmanuel Adebayor Admits He Hates Arsenal
Few footballers cross the north London divide without tarnishing their standing on one side or the other, and Emmanuel Adebayor is no different. The former Premier League star, who represented both Arsenal and Tottenham, has openly admitted that he "hates" one of his former clubs, with the two teams set to face off this weekend in a highly anticipated derby.
The Acrimonious Departure from Arsenal
Although his three-and-a-half years at the Emirates Stadium are widely regarded as the best period of his career, the Togolese forward has revealed deep-seated animosity towards Arsenal. This stems from the contentious circumstances surrounding his £25 million move to Manchester City in 2009. Adebayor claims he felt pushed out by then-manager Arsene Wenger, who allegedly told him he had no future at the club.
"I had a meeting with Arsene Wenger in his office when he told me I had to leave because he doesn't see my future any more in Arsenal. I have to move on in my life," Adebayor disclosed. "I was like 'I'm going to stay.' He was like 'no there is not even a fight organised. We are not going to organise any fight for you. You move out or you stay here and don't play any games.'"
The Infamous Celebration and Lingering Resentment
Just weeks after joining City, Adebayor scored the decisive goal in a 4-2 win at the Etihad Stadium and infamously sprinted the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the Arsenal fans. When asked what was going through his mind during that controversial moment, he described it as feeling like "a prisoner is out. A prisoner is free."
The striker's resentment was further fueled by Wenger's subsequent press conference, where the manager suggested Adebayor left for financial reasons. "The next day when I joined Manchester City I saw him doing a press conference in London saying that I wanted to leave because the money was big and everything, and since that day that is where the hate for Arsenal came from," Adebayor explained.
Adebayor's Career Trajectory and North London Legacy
Adebayor arrived at Arsenal from AS Monaco in 2006 as a raw but promising talent. Despite initial limited opportunities behind established stars like Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie, he forced his way into prominence, ultimately scoring 62 goals in 142 appearances for the Gunners. This included a prolific 30-goal return in the 2007/08 campaign.
After a shorter, less fruitful spell at Manchester City, he joined Tottenham, first on loan in 2011/12 and then permanently in a £5 million deal. He scored 42 goals in 113 outings for Spurs before departing for Crystal Palace in 2015. Adebayor remains one of only four players to have represented both Arsenal and Tottenham in the Premier League era, alongside William Gallas, David Bentley, and Rohan Ricketts.
The Upcoming North London Derby
The two teams are set to meet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday in what will be Igor Tudor's first match as interim Spurs boss. Arsenal will be determined to secure all three points to strengthen their grip on top spot, while Tottenham are aiming to widen the slender cushion separating them from the relegation zone. This clash underscores the enduring frostiness of North London's fiercest rivalry, a divide that Adebayor's career and candid revelations have vividly illustrated.
