Crystal Palace were today set to complete the signing of Emmanuel Adebayor.

The 31-year-old has been a free agent since leaving Tottenham last September and Alan Pardew has turned to the striker in the hope that he will cure Palace’s lack of goals.

The Togo international is determined to reignite his career and could make his Palace debut against Stoke in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Adebayor has not appeared in the Premier League since May and, while he has been keeping fit with the help of a personal trainer, it remains to be seen how quickly he will be able to make an impact. Pardew needs him to get up to speed quickly as Palace look to revive their push for a European spot.

Player Ratings: Crystal Palace vs Tottenham 23 show all Player Ratings: Crystal Palace vs Tottenham 1/23 Who impressed at Selhurst Park? Standard Sport assesses the individual performances from the clash between Crystal Palace and Tottenham. Scroll through the gallery for our full ratings. 2/23 Wayne Hennessey: 6 The Welshman had clearly put events at the Etihad to the back of his mind. Solid throughout and made a couple of good saves. 3/23 Joel Ward: 5 The right back was inconsistent. He appeared composed on occasion but all at sea during others. 2015 Getty Images 4/23 Scott Dann: 6 The defender was unfortunate not to level the scores when his header cannoned back off the bar but could not prevent Palace slipping to defeat late on. 2015 Getty Images 5/23 Damien Delaney: 5 A captain's performance. The centre back helped to stifle Kane - aside from the goal - and marshalled all those around him superbly. 2015 Getty Images 6/23 Pape Souare: 6 Provided an attacking outlet on the left but was also undone on several occasions by Trippier's clever runs forward. 2015 Getty Images 7/23 Joe Ledley: 6 Solid if not spectacular presence in the centre of the park from the Welshman. 8/23 Yohan Cabaye: 6 Threatened to be bypassed by Spurs' direct midfield early on, but recovered to produce an encouraging display. His passing repertoire and ability to sprinkle a bit of magic is vital to Palace. 2016 Getty Images 9/23 Wilfried Zaha: 7 Had Rose on toast for the majority of the game. His trickery was magnificent but his vision and decision making less so. The winger's cross led to Vertonghen's own goal and he was a constant menace. 2016 Getty Images 10/23 James McArthur: 5 The Palace midfielder endured a quiet afternoon and was eventually withdrawn after he began to tire. 11/23 Jason Puncheon: 5 Below par. Guilty of several moments of indecisiveness and struggled to get a run at the Spurs defence like Zaha did at will on the opposite flank. 12/23 Connor Wickham: 5 Put himself about but rarely had a sight of goal. Needs to do more if he is to retain Pardew's faith and remain Palace's number one striker. He is only by default at present. 2016 Getty Images 13/23 Hugo Lloris: 6 Usually a man who oozes calm, Lloris was guilty of a number of nervous moments but also produced several superb reflex saves. 2015 Getty Images 14/23 Kieran Trippier: 6 Finally looks confident in a Spurs shirt after several months of appearing to be out of place. Kyle Walker is no longer assured of a spot on the right. Booked. 2015 Getty Images 15/23 Toby Alderweireld: 6 Threatened to add to his goal tally when on the front foot, and passed impeccably, but was not at his best in his own third of the pitch. 2015 Getty Images 16/23 Jan Vertonghen: 6 The Belgian steered the ball into his own net for the opening goal but rarely put a foot wrong otherwise. Withdrawn due to injury. 2015 Getty Images 17/23 Danny Rose: 5 The full-back had a tough time against Wilfried Zaha and struggled to cope with his countryman's pace. Unfortunate to see a fierce volley saved. 2016 Getty Images 18/23 Eric Dier: 5 The midfielder endured a quiet afternoon and was substituted by Pochettino in an effort to get more attack-minded players on the pitch.



Nacer Chadli: 7



Thrown on in an attempt to help change the game and did so after he provided the assist for Kane's goal and wrapped things up with a cracking effort of his own. 2016 Getty Images 19/23 Moussa Dembele: 7 The Belgian's powerful presence swatted Palace aside early on, but they eventually got to grips with his presence. Bridged the gap between defence and attack time and again. 20/23 Christian Eriksen: 6 The Danish drifted across the front line dangerously but could not unlock the Palace defence himself. Looking like the player he was last season again. 2015 Getty Images 21/23 Heung-min Son: 6 Deserved his start after impressing against Leicester but may not have done enough to retain his place. 22/23 Dele Alli: 8 The midfielder capped another impressive display with a beautiful goal that you will never tire of seeing on a highlight reel. 2016 Getty Images 23/23 Harry Kane: 7 Stifled by Delaney and Dann for long periods but - deservedly - got his name on the team sheet courtesy of a well placed header. 2015 Getty Images 1/23 Who impressed at Selhurst Park? Standard Sport assesses the individual performances from the clash between Crystal Palace and Tottenham. Scroll through the gallery for our full ratings. 2/23 Wayne Hennessey: 6 The Welshman had clearly put events at the Etihad to the back of his mind. Solid throughout and made a couple of good saves. 3/23 Joel Ward: 5 The right back was inconsistent. He appeared composed on occasion but all at sea during others. 2015 Getty Images 4/23 Scott Dann: 6 The defender was unfortunate not to level the scores when his header cannoned back off the bar but could not prevent Palace slipping to defeat late on. 2015 Getty Images 5/23 Damien Delaney: 5 A captain's performance. The centre back helped to stifle Kane - aside from the goal - and marshalled all those around him superbly. 2015 Getty Images 6/23 Pape Souare: 6 Provided an attacking outlet on the left but was also undone on several occasions by Trippier's clever runs forward. 2015 Getty Images 7/23 Joe Ledley: 6 Solid if not spectacular presence in the centre of the park from the Welshman. 8/23 Yohan Cabaye: 6 Threatened to be bypassed by Spurs' direct midfield early on, but recovered to produce an encouraging display. His passing repertoire and ability to sprinkle a bit of magic is vital to Palace. 2016 Getty Images 9/23 Wilfried Zaha: 7 Had Rose on toast for the majority of the game. His trickery was magnificent but his vision and decision making less so. The winger's cross led to Vertonghen's own goal and he was a constant menace. 2016 Getty Images 10/23 James McArthur: 5 The Palace midfielder endured a quiet afternoon and was eventually withdrawn after he began to tire. 11/23 Jason Puncheon: 5 Below par. Guilty of several moments of indecisiveness and struggled to get a run at the Spurs defence like Zaha did at will on the opposite flank. 12/23 Connor Wickham: 5 Put himself about but rarely had a sight of goal. Needs to do more if he is to retain Pardew's faith and remain Palace's number one striker. He is only by default at present. 2016 Getty Images 13/23 Hugo Lloris: 6 Usually a man who oozes calm, Lloris was guilty of a number of nervous moments but also produced several superb reflex saves. 2015 Getty Images 14/23 Kieran Trippier: 6 Finally looks confident in a Spurs shirt after several months of appearing to be out of place. Kyle Walker is no longer assured of a spot on the right. Booked. 2015 Getty Images 15/23 Toby Alderweireld: 6 Threatened to add to his goal tally when on the front foot, and passed impeccably, but was not at his best in his own third of the pitch. 2015 Getty Images 16/23 Jan Vertonghen: 6 The Belgian steered the ball into his own net for the opening goal but rarely put a foot wrong otherwise. Withdrawn due to injury. 2015 Getty Images 17/23 Danny Rose: 5 The full-back had a tough time against Wilfried Zaha and struggled to cope with his countryman's pace. Unfortunate to see a fierce volley saved. 2016 Getty Images 18/23 Eric Dier: 5 The midfielder endured a quiet afternoon and was substituted by Pochettino in an effort to get more attack-minded players on the pitch.



Nacer Chadli: 7



Thrown on in an attempt to help change the game and did so after he provided the assist for Kane's goal and wrapped things up with a cracking effort of his own. 2016 Getty Images 19/23 Moussa Dembele: 7 The Belgian's powerful presence swatted Palace aside early on, but they eventually got to grips with his presence. Bridged the gap between defence and attack time and again. 20/23 Christian Eriksen: 6 The Danish drifted across the front line dangerously but could not unlock the Palace defence himself. Looking like the player he was last season again. 2015 Getty Images 21/23 Heung-min Son: 6 Deserved his start after impressing against Leicester but may not have done enough to retain his place. 22/23 Dele Alli: 8 The midfielder capped another impressive display with a beautiful goal that you will never tire of seeing on a highlight reel. 2016 Getty Images 23/23 Harry Kane: 7 Stifled by Delaney and Dann for long periods but - deservedly - got his name on the team sheet courtesy of a well placed header. 2015 Getty Images

Palace have slipped into the bottom half of the table after six games without a win and their strikers have contributed only one League goal this season. The side have managed only 24 goals in 23 League games this term and only Swansea, West Brom and Aston Villa have scored fewer.

Adebayor left Tottenham when his deal was terminated by mutual agreement but they have still been paying his £100,000-a-week wages.

Harry Redknapp, who brought Adebayor to Spurs in 2011, said in his Standard Sport column this month that signing the striker was a “no‑brainer” but there are lingering doubts about his attitude.

He becomes one of the top earners at Palace but Pardew and chairman Steve Parish believe the former Arsenal and Manchester City striker is worth the risk.

Pardew said recently he has no concerns about handling Adebayor.

“Whenever he has played against me he has been totally committed and he is a dangerous world player,” said the manager.

“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...”

Adebayor also attracted interest from Watford and wanted to stay in England despite receiving more lucrative offers from the Middle East, China and Turkey.

He has his sights set on becoming the Premier League’s leading African goalscorer.

Adebayor has scored 96 times in 230 League games in England, leaving him eight shy of the mark set by former Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba.

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