Manchester United Transfer News: Emmanuel Adebayor, Anthony Martial, Top Rumours

In one of the more bizarre links to be churned out of the rumour mill this summer, Manchester United have reportedly been offered Tottenham Hotspur's Emmanuel Adebayor.  

The news comes courtesy of the MailOnline's David Kent, who notes the striker is on his way out of White Hart Lane this summer.

United are desperate for another forward following their relatively barren start to the season and Wayne Rooney undergoing a significant dry spell in the Premier League stretching back well into last year.

Adebayor is at times a prolific striker and has scored 168 goals in a career that has also seen him play for Arsenal, Real Madrid and Manchester City.

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However, the Togo international has rarely been able to show his ability at a club over a significant period of time, with his purple patches often book-ended by large periods of wastefulness and apparent disinterest.

The 31-year-old has often been criticised for laziness during his career, and that does not appear to be a quality United boss Louis van Gaal will ever tolerate.

United may be desperate for a striker, but they're not desperate enough to turn to Adebayor just yet.

Besides, they appear to be closing in on Monaco forward Anthony Martial.

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The French Football Federation (via Get French Football) have granted the 19-year-old leave from the national team to sign a contract with Manchester United:

Get French Football and Sky Sports Football report the tremendous sum he will cost, with Martial still having four years left on his current deal:

Football writer Liam Canning believes United have little choice but to pay so much and expressed his desire to see the youngster at Old Trafford.

Martial enjoyed a solid year for Monaco last season, netting 12 times and providing five assists.

The forward's numbers don't yet justify the fee United will apparently pay for him, but at 19, the Frenchman clearly has a lot of potential and is more proven than James Wilson, who is the same age.

If he can shake off the pressures that come with his enormously inflated price tag, he can prove to be a useful long-term acquisition for the Red Devils.