5 Feasible Summer Destinations for Tottenham Forward Emmanuel Adebayor

There is a good chance Emmanuel Adebayor has just eight matches left of his Tottenham Hotspur career. Or rather, given that the forward has been called on just once since January, eight possibilities to play.

Almost four tumultuous years at White Hart Lane have seen 42 goals and some excellent performances coalesce with lean periods marked by fitness problems and professional disagreements. A resurgence from Adebayor is not impossible, but a parting of the ways this summer is probably best for both parties.

The following article looks at five feasible destinations for the 31-year-old in the event of his departure.

Talk of a transfer to Chelsea—understandably viewed skeptically by Bleacher Report's Garry Hayes—highlights how links can appear almost out of nowhere. The following selection of clubs and leagues attempts to logically pinpoint situations where Adebayor might be wanted, which could appeal to him and where he might be allowed to leave to join.

The first potential destination is probably the most contentious of them.

West Ham United

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Emmanuel Adebayor's proposed move to West Ham United in January did not come off. Could it work out in the summer?

Telegraph writer Matt Law's report into Adebayor's January transfer window loan move to West Ham United being nixed by Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy led with the latter's "grudge" against the Hammers.

The line which clarified Spurs' reasons for not allowing the loan is also the one which leaves open the possibility of a permanent transfer still being completed.

"On the subject of Adebayor, Levy told West Ham officials that he could not pay a player to appear in the claret and blue of Tottenham’s bitter rivals, particularly with the clubs only separated by six points in the Premier League table," Law wrote.

Spurs have pulled away from West Ham since then, vindicating Levy's decision not to lend Sam Allardyce's side a player who might have helped.

Should the east Londoners remain interested in adding Adebayor to their attacking options, Levy might be more inclined to do business this summer. Rather than essentially paying him to play for somebody else, Spurs would receive a transfer fee and/or at least be rid of his reported £100,000 wages—per Law's article.

Adebayor's first choice a couple of months ago, West Ham might still appeal if he wants to remain in London and the Premier League. The following two clubs would also apply for the latter.

Premier League Reunions

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Could Adebayor and Tim Sherwood be reunited at Aston Villa?

Despite Adebayor's difficulties at Tottenham this season, there would surely be other Premier League clubs besides West Ham interested in acquiring his services.

He is a proven goalscorer in England, possessing imposing physicality and graceful footwork that is still capable of causing defences problems. As recently as a year ago, he was on a hot streak which helped keep Spurs in contention for a Champions League place until well into spring.

The man who brought Adebayor back into the fold then, current Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood, might be tempted into working with him again.

Sherwood has been one of the coaches to bring the best out of the mercurial striker in England. Another who enjoyed a fruitful working relationship with Adebayor, albeit in a similarly short time, was Mark Hughes.

The player scored six times for Manchester City in 2009 before the Welshman was sacked. Now with Stoke City, Hughes spoke well of Adebayor prior to the Potters' 2-1 defeat of Spurs in November.

"He has size, pace, power and ability on the ball," Hughes said, per the Daily Star's Dave Armitage. "He's the whole package when he wants to be."

Emboldened by a new long-term contract, the Stoke boss might fancy the challenge of getting the best out of Adebayor again. The player asking for wages similar to those he reportedly earns at Spurs might prove a sticking point for clubs like Villa and City, though.

A Return to Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain

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Adebayor in his Monaco days. Could a return to Ligue 1, perhaps with PSG, be on the cards?

Adebayor played for French clubs Metz and Monaco prior to moving to England in 2006. In January, Sky Sports was among those to report interest from Paris Saint-Germain in bringing him back to Ligue 1.

If "initial discussions" did take place, they evidently did not come to anything. Yet, were PSG still to be interested in adding him to their ranks this summer, they would surely be among the front-runners for Adebayor's signature.

The prospect of Champions League football and substantial financial incentives from the Qatari-backed club would be hard to turn down. Such incentives might even compensate for the likelihood of playing second-fiddle to current PSG stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani.

Middle Eastern Early-Retirement

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Adebayor would not be the first high-profile player to be tempted by the money and lifestyle of Middle Eastern football. Gabriel Batistuta and Claudio Caniggia played in Qatar a decade ago.

If not to PSG, Qatari money could well tempt Adebayor to follow the path of so many other high-profile footballers and wind down his career playing in the Middle East.

The likes of Gabriel Batistuta, Frank de Boer, Fabio Cannavaro and Claudio Caniggia finished up playing in countries like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The Qatar Stars League is currently home to the likes of Mark Bresciano (Al-Gharafa), Grafite (Al Sadd) and Tuncay (Umm Salal). Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain), Pablo Hernandez (Al-Nasr) and Mirko Vucinic (Al-Jazira) are playing in the UAE Arabian Gulf League.

Adebayor is more than good enough to still be playing at a much higher level. But that has not stopped the likes of Gyan and Vucinic taking what is essentially semi-retirement.

The Togo international would certainly be a big coup for either of the aforementioned leagues. Inquiries from Major League Soccer might be worth keeping an eye on, too.

Serie A

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Emmanuel Derby has not previously played in Serie A but might be an attractive proposition for a club like AC Milan.

Should Adebayor retain ambition that extends beyond wiling away his years in football's equivalent of a retirement home, but still want a new challenge, he would do well to consider Serie A.

Italian football is competitive, but played at a slower, more methodical pace which might suit his aging legs (in the way it does current stalwarts like Miroslav Klose, Antonio Di Natale and Francesco Totti). European competition would remain open to him, too.

Adebayor also fits the criteria which is a feature of recruitment for several clubs outside of the champions Juventus. He is a talented player whose reputation is such that he can be regarded as a big-name signing. But not one so expensive (in terms of fee anyway) who will break the bank in these frugal times for Italian football.