Asuncion (AFP)
Olimpia, quadruple defending champion of Paraguay, announced Tuesday the signing of Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor, 36, a former Real Madrid and Manchester City player, to compete in the 2020 Copa Libertadores.
"Hello to all the Olimpia fans. Thank you for everything. See you on Friday," said the African striker in a message recorded by the club. He will play alongside his ex-teammate at Manchester City, the Paraguayan striker Roque Santacruz, top scorer of the 2019 season in Paraguay.
Club Olimpia, one of the clubs in the capital Asunción, is part of group G of the Copa Libertdores, where they will face the Brazilians from Santos, the Argentinian club from Defensa y Justicia and the Ecuadorians from Delfín.
"Adebayor does not come on vacation", underlined the president of the Olimpia, Marcos Trovato, after having invited the supporters of the club to the presentation of the advanced striker and the other recent recruits, including Derlis González, former striker of the Dynamo Kiev.
The Togolese trained at FC Metz, a finalist in the 2004 Champions League with Monaco, had been without a club since December 2019 and the termination of his contract with the Turkish club Kayserispor.
Rodrigo Codas, the players' agent who negotiated the arrival of Adebayor, said Ivorian midfielder Yaya Touré could also come and play in Paraguay.
"I spoke with the agent from Yaya and he asked me to inquire about a team in Paraguay and Brazil. He is very friendly with Adebayor, he could come," said Codas at the D10 site in Asunción.
He said that if Yaya Touré were to come, it would not be at Club Olimpia. "Olimpia is not looking for a midfielder and has already made a big effort for Emmanuel."
The former FC Barcelona and Manchester City player is currently playing at Qinqdao Huangai, in the 2nd Chinese division.
© 2020 AFP