Unfortunately it's not nonsense, as part of his parting settlement Spurs are paying Adebayor a reported £100k per week, how true that is no-one knows, but he refused to join West Ham last summer unless Spurs paid up his contract in full.

Totally agree, sadly he comes with baggage that is not his fault, he is not the same player as he was before the attack on the Togo team bus, apparently he was very close to the ass coach Amelete Abalo who died, and had to carry the badly wounded Serge Akakpo from the scene.

That would traumatise anyone, some people can overcome a horrendous event like that, others are traumatised for life.

I think you can be both a free agent and still getting paid. Here's how: Let's say you have a contract worth 10 million quid which your employer wants to settle so he can ship you out immediately. You might reach an agreement along the lines of a buyout for 4 million quid in cash payable straight away (thus making you a free agent) plus 100,000 a week until you find a new employer up to a maximum of, say, 24 months.

In this scenario the club who employed you saves money by ending up paying you a maximum of 6.4 million (assuming you don't find another employer for 48 months) or less if you find a club quickly (as little as 4 million if you find one immediately.)

The issue then becomes that if you find a new club who offer you less than 100,000 a week do you take the offer or stay unemployed to collect the money until the 24 months run out? This is what most people here assume is happening; Adebayor is being lazy and greedy.

However, there is another even more viable scenario. It might be that the new employer (in this case Palace) that wants to hire you sees the 48 month payout as a way to reduce what they have to pay you...they realise that your old employer is still on the hook for quite a lot of money if they don't hire you so they see a way to recruit you without paying your full wage.

In short, the pay off gives your new employer leverage over your old employer. And who would not take advantage of that? So in that situation, your new employer goes to your old employer and says look, we'll hire him (so you won't have to keep paying him 100k a week) BUT we'll only do it if you agree to pay 50% of his wages. We'll save money (by paying him less than we otherwise would) and you'll save money (by having the 100,000 a week reduced by, say, half.)

Of course, the old employer could just say "f*** off" and cut his nose to spite his face. But he's probably going to say "better to waste 50,000 a week than a 100,000."

In short, IF we are interested in Adebayor, it may well be Parish who is holding out for a better deal for Palace rather than Adebayor being lazy or greedy. In fact, the former would make far more sense than the latter.

This is all conjecture on my part but it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

Sydenham by birth. Selhurst by the Grace of God.

What a great insight I like the potential of us gaining a player on lower wages. But all this raises to me is how hard will he try for 50k a week ? He could think there underpaying me cabaye makes more I'm not the star....... Sulk sulk sulk....... I'll just kick up about it and put other players noses out of joint.

If we pay some part of his wages he isn't earning more than sitting on his bum, he gets the same money but Spurs reduce their cost. So I would think there will be some kind of win bonus as well. As you say, the big incentive is to get a longer term contract when this one ends.

Let's not forget, this 'work' you mention is keeping fit and playing football... I'd take the latter in hope of extending that incredible career into next season..