Thomas Partey, an Arsenal midfielder, said that Emmanuel Adebayor, a former striker, ruined his reputation at the club.
One of the rare footballers from Africa who have a successful career at Arsenal is Adebayor. Yet when he was playing for Manchester City and wildly celebrated his goal in front of Arsenal supporters, he got into trouble with the supporters.
Partey thinks the Togolese legend’s actions destroyed his reputation in North London.
“I think he gave and then destroyed. Everything he gave here was fantastic but when he scored against Arsenal and celebrated, he destroyed,” he told SuperSports.
Partey, nonetheless, acknowledged Adebabyor’s quality but insisted that he destroyed his legacy at Arsenal after leaving the club.
“For me, he is a fantastic player and one of the best strikers in Africa but if you want to talk about here, he built everything, and here and after he destroyed.”
Adebayor’s move to Manchester City in the January transfer window in 2009 did not sit down well with the fans who turned against him.
The striker, fortunately, had a reply to the abuse he received when he scored in Man City’s 4-2 win at the Etihad. When his header went in for the fourth goal, he run at the length of the pitch and did a knee slide in front of the Arsenal fans.
Speaking after the game Adebayor said: “I was being abused by people who six months ago were singing my name and the abuse was for no reason. There is only so much abuse a man can take until he reaches breaking point.
An offer came in for me and, as I understand it, Arsene [Wenger] and the club accepted [it]. It was not my fault I left, it was Arsene who wanted to accept the offer for me.”
Emmanuel Adebayor was fined £25,000 for his celebration.