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Arsene Wenger is set to be handed a summer war chest in the region of £50million after deciding to sell Emmanuel Adebayor to the highest bidder.
Reports had initially suggested the Arsenal boss would only have £13-15m to spend as the club continue to work under the constraints of paying for the move to Emirates Stadium in 2006.
But a source within the club told Standard Sport that figure was "mischief-making" and that Wenger has been assured by chief executive Ivan Gazidis that he will have close to £25m plus whatever he generates from sales.
The Gunners' run to the Champions League semi-finals is thought to have earned upwards of £15m in addition to the estimated £10m the club had already set aside for summer dealings.
Wenger has lost patience with Adebayor, who has almost certainly started his last game for Arsenal and can hope at best for a place among the substitutes for Sunday's Premier League finale against Stoke.
The Frenchman is thought to consider the Togolese striker a disruptive influence in the dressing room and is still disappointed with the way he courted a move to AC Milan last summer.
The Rossonerri head a group of clubs vying for his signature that reportedly includes Chelsea and Inter Milan and Wenger has previously suggested he would not be averse to selling the striker to a domestic rival.
Although Arsenal will not receive the £30m previously tabled for Adebayor, he is still expected to fetch £20-£25m despite only scoring five goals in his last 17 games.
Stephane Courbis, the player's agent, revealed that no contact has yet been made but admits Adebayor's future may now lie away from north London. He said: “I can say that there is no news on Milan or Inter as I have not been contacted. I do not know if the future of Emmanuel is with Arsenal.
“The only certainty is that at the end of the season I will meet with Wenger to asses the situation.”
Although Wenger's war chest is higher than previously suggested, he is unlikely to spend it all and the club are keen to ensure they get value for money with any new signings.
Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz, Gokhan Inler of Udinese and Fulham defender Brede Hangeland were thought to be among the targets discussed by Wenger and Gazidis at the pair's weekly lunch on Tuesday.
Reader views (14)
this is wishful thinking.......ade is not going anywhere..... he just had a injury prone season......thats all.......dont put him down ......his strike vs villareal was really trumendous......
he wont be sold......its all about additions......
i think one of the centre backs and mostly ......gallas is going to get sold......for 8-10 for sure....... that will fund all the buys.......
- Abhishek, mumbai, India
Get rid of Adebayor, he is a childtrying to hold the club to ransom, cry baby, You have to give 100% to be loved by the fans, all you want is money.
- Rgj Durch, GERMANY
We need to keep our best players not selling them. Players turnover just sets us back to another 1year of transition for replacements. We additions not replacement.
- Jamie The Islington Gooner, Islington
@Kedge - Hahahahahahahahhahaha!!!!
What a tragic character you are to get so worked up about something that you supposedly don't care a jot about.
You say it's a kids ball game but I bet you couldn't hit a barn door with a football even for a million pounds.
It's typical of someone who cannot play the game themselves to fail to recognise the skill that it takes to do it to a professional level. Just as some people cannot understand the worth of poetry, art, literature or even other sports because of their own inferiority in said field.
I agree that the players are overpaid, and that some people are too obsessed. But I'd pay good money to see you try and turn out 60 times in a season for 90 minutes a time and train every day inbetween. You'd be laughed off the pitch the first time you miskicked the ball.
If you don't care for something, leave it to those who do. Don't turn to the back pages of the paper. Don't click on the link that says sport or football.
Allow people to enjoy whatever relieves them of the pressure we're all under in our day to day lives, just as you would hope they'd leave you to your own devices.
Comments like yours just reek of petty jealousy and bitterness towards a section of society you cannot understand. Snobbery at its worst.
Just chill out and let people live their lives without judgment.
- Steven, London
I feel it'll be in interest of arsenal to sell Adebayor as most of the fans tend to give him plenty of stick anyway.Arsenal have enough quality strikers like RVP,Arshavin,Eduardo,Vela,Bendtner.If arsenal can get
20 Million for him they can easily buy three to four quality players.
- Shaz, London
Adebayor has got talent he showed that with a great goal against Villareal,the problem is that he only shows his talent in rare flashes,he often drifts off in games and is lazy.Let one of the Italian clubs come in and pay top dollar for him,I am one of the Arsenal supporters who will be glad to see him go.
- Jim Ex Pat,Islington N1, thailand
GOD!!!! HOW I HATE FOOTBALL AND ALL THE CRAP SPOUTED ABOUT IT BY ITS SUPPORTERS, PLAYERS, AND PUNDITS.
ITS A BLOODY KIDS BALL GAME PLAYED BY OVERPAID RETARDS THATS ALL.
give me strength
- Kedge, marlboro wilts
I hope Arsene Wenger buys the following experienced players for Arsenal FC during this Summer transfer window.
Joseph Yobo - Defender Centre Half - from Everton FC
Obefemi Martins - Striker - from Newcastle FC
Rio Antonio Zoba Mavuba - Defensive Midfielder from Lille FC
- Charles, north London
If Hull stay up,they may but him for 2 million,but even that is a bit much for such an over rated player.
- David, london
Fellow gooners do not get too excited. This figure is not just for transfer fees but it includes wages as well. So whoever has their contract re-negotiated and agreed it will come off this figure. So the real amount that Wenger has to play with is not as large as what is quoted by the papers. These type of headlines do Wenger and the fans no favours.
- Zico, London
Firstly, even 25 million pounds is crazy for Adebayor, surely noone will pay that. Secondly, as much as I love your game, I think it's insane that there can be absolutely no loyalty from clubs when it comes to players even if they are contracted.
Your clubs expect players to bleed for them yet at the first sign of a below par season or someone better available, your sold.
The sooner FIFA demands a salary cap and player contracts that actually mean something...the better. Until then, the players will be treated like crap and the same clubs will win everything year after year.
To all the fans of clubs other than the big 4, how does it feel knowing you will never ever win anything?
Crazy.
- Andrew Silverman, Melbourne, Australia
no one ever left arsenal and went on to greater things
with the possible exception this season only of henry
adebayor wont fit in whereever he goes
come 2011 he will be somewhere else again
the new anelka
- Stephen Park, Dubai
I will guarantee right now that Arsenal will not sign any of those reported transfer targets.
- Tom14, Bolton
It is no news, but good news if Adebayor is leaving. We all know that he now considers himself as a madonna that no one can touch. If he is sold, I say congrats to Wenger for his courage. I personally think that Kenwyn Jones of Sunderland or Obafemi Martins of Newcastle would do a better job because they both look more energetic and committed when they play. If Ade goes I can only wish him the best of luck and hope that he has learnt that arrogance and self-confidence are not the same and also, that the beautiful 'Beyonce' Milan will give him the opportunity to become the 'best player in the world' that he aspires to be. One last word though - Arsene Wenger looks more tolerant to all the rants by players than all other managers. So Ade, if you want to want to achieve that greatness, be humble and levelheaded. Vive les Gooners
- Julius Nuga, Abbots Langley UK
