Adebayor hoping for Real stay

The 27-year-old moved to the Spanish capital on loan until the end of the season in January, but has only found the net twice in seven La Liga games.

And after failing to win over the supporters of either Arsenal or Man City during his five-year stint in England, Adebayor is just happy to be feeling the love from the Bernabeu faithful.

"I can tell. I hear my name chanted around the stadium. It's important to feel loved. I will do everything possible to stay here as long as possible," he told Spanish newspaper AS.

"I came here to do something. I have made something of myself in football and spent years playing at the highest level, but I'm still empty-handed.

"For me, the most important thing is to win trophies. When I joined Arsenal, I never imagined that I wouldn't win anything. Here I have to do everything I can to make it happen."

The Togolese front-man revealed that he even went to the lengths of cutting off his dreadlocks, just so that he could fit in with clean-cut image of the Spanish giants.

He added: "I had dreadlocks for three years but, when the opportunity to play for Madrid arose, I knew I'd have them cut off.

"This haircut is more appropriate for an institution like Madrid. I'm doing everything possible to integrate."

By James Martini

Nick Moore

Nick Moore is a freelance journalist based on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. He wrote his first FourFourTwo feature in 2001 about Gerard Houllier's cup-treble-winning Liverpool side, and has continued to ink his witty words for the mag ever since. Nick has produced FFT's 'Ask A Silly Question' interview for 16 years, once getting Peter Crouch to confess that he dreams about being a dwarf.