Veteran Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor says the main reasons he decided to join Paraguay side Olimpia Asuncion were the influence of ex-Manchester City team-mate Roque Santa Cruz and the club president’s six-year-old son.
The 35-year-old former Arsenal striker, who quit Turkish club Kayserispor in December, signed a deal until the end of the year as giants Olimpia hunt for domestic and South America’s Copa Libertadores silverware.
“At first I was impressed after speaking to the club president and Roque Santa Cruz who was my old team-mate at Manchester City,” Adebayor said at a news conference.
“He told me that in his country, people live and breathe football. I asked him for verbal assurance that everything will be fine.
“Santa Cruz gave me his word that I will love it here, so he played a big role in me coming here.
“I also got a lot of personal messages from some of the fans on social media and that made a big impact.
“But I was mostly touched by the words of the president’s young son who, at six years old, said I am his idol. That was very emotional for me.”
Aside from Turkey and England, the forward has also played in France and for Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Source: BBC