Emmanuel Adebayor has exiled himself to train with the youngsters at Tottenham.
In an unusual move the controversial striker — who has been told he has no future at the club — has turned down the chance to train with the first team and opted to join the Under 21s instead.
It is normally managers who expel their troublesome players to train with the kids, but Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino said he would allow Adebayor to take part in sessions with the senior squad, only to have the offer declined.
‘We gave him the opportunity to train with the first team,’ Pochettino said, ‘but at different times. But he decided to train with the Under 21s. Always we give him the same opportunity to train and treat him the same as any other player.
‘I don’t have an opinion about this because it is a personal thing. Everyone is different. I cannot give an opinion. It is his preference. The question is for him, it is not for me. I was always good with him.’
Adebayor was offered the opportunity to move to West Ham on transfer deadline day. He had an hour-long meeting with West Ham manager Slaven Bilic that day, but refused to leave Tottenham unless they would pay him the £5million remaining on his contract.
The 31-year-old still has a year left on his £100,000-per-week deal and, even though he was warned by Pochettino at the end of last season that he was no longer in his plans, still would not leave the club.
Pochettino, however, has no intentions of reneging on his decision to leave Adebayor out of his plans, despite having Harry Kane as his only out-and-out striker.
‘I was clear with him, the decision was very clear and to retract it now would not be right,’ Pochettino insisted. ‘It’s about making the right decision for the team and the right decision for the club. I have the support of the chairman, Daniel Levy, and I am happy with him.’
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