Pardew: I can handle Adebayor

As Crystal Palace look to close in on a deal to sign uncontracted striker Emmanuel Adebayor, manager Alan Pardew has no doubts about his ability to get the best out of the former Togo international.

Adebayor has been without a club since his Tottenham contract was mutually terminated in September.

The former Arsenal and Manchester striker, who has a proven track record in the Premier League with 122 goals, had a number of falling outs with Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino in his final months in London.

But Pardew has gone public with his interest in Adebayor, a player he nearly signed in his West Ham days only to be trumped by Arsenal – and believes the 31-year-old would be a good fit in his team.

“We had a couple of really close shaves bringing him to West Ham and I was very disappointed when ­ultimately Arsenal got him,” Pardew said.

“I wouldn’t say it was them pipping us to him. It was kind of done. Then Arsenal heard it was getting done and decided he was for them.

“Now Adebayor is a player who is there for ­somebody and it is a question of ourselves wondering whether we are the right club for him is and he is the right player for us.

“You want to bring in a quality player and so therefore you can’t dismiss anyone. Because 90 per cent of strikers are not ­available. It is a very, very small market for us so Adebayor is in that group.

“We still think another striker would pay dividends given the position we’re in.

“Although we are in a little negative period of results, two or three wins and we would be really kicking ourselves if we didn’t strengthen.”

Pardew said he was unconcerned by Adebayor’s history of arguing with managers.

“Whenever he has played against me he has been totally committed and he’s a dangerous world player,” added Pardew.

“You have only got to look at his clubs. For whatever reason there has been a fall-out at Spurs but he remains a player that can have great impact and would improve us.

“And I have had difficult players before, non-more difficult than Hatem Ben Arfa at Newcastle. If I can deal with him, I can deal with Adebayor for sure.”