Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger wants the club faithful to “respect” Emmanuel Adebayor on his return to the Emirate Stadium in Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie against Tottenham Hotspur.
The Togo international, 29, was fined £25,000 and given a suspended two-match ban for taunting Arsenal fans after scoring for Manchester City in a 4-2 league win over the North Londoners at Eastland in 2009.
He was reintegrated into Spurs’ first-team in December, following the appointment of Tim Sherwood as Andre Villas-Boas’ successor and has hit top form since then, scoring five goals in six games.
Wenger is well aware of Adebayor’s “talent” after introducing him to the English League from Monaco for a reported £3m in the 2006 winter transfer window. he went on to score 46 goals in 104 league games.
Wenger said: “When I signed him he was playing in the reserves at Monaco. He had a huge impact and, with Thierry Henry, he was such a success that when Thierry left for Barcelona, we felt it was okay, Adebayor can take over.
“He scored over 30 goals in the first season. Only he can say whether he regrets leaving.
“I don’t want him to get stick, I just want us to play well. I always say the same thing: when players come back to the club you want them to be respected.”
