• This is the second part in this series, the first instalment looked at Ronaldo

METZ (2001-03)

Having been scouted in his native Togo, Emmanuel Adebayor joined FC Metz in 1999 and made his senior debut in the 2001-02 season against Sochaux, wearing the number 29 shirt.

Adebayor scored two goals in 11 games in that debut season, not enough to prevent relegation. However, with Johann Jäger moving from number 20 to 11, Adebayor was rewarded with a switch to 20. He scored 15 in 40 games as Metz finished third to earn promotion. By the time the 2003-04 campaign began, though, he would be playing for a new club.

MONACO (2003-06)

Adebayor was signed by Monaco, who would reach the Champions League final in his first season, with the striker an unused sub for the decider against Porto. In two and a half years in Monte Carlo, he played 115 games and scored 26 goals, with 24 his squad number throughout.

ARSENAL (2006-09)

By this stage, he had come to the attention of Arsène Wenger, who signed him in the January 2006 transfer window and gave him the number 25 shirt which had previously been the property of the striker’s idol, Nwankwo Kanu.

Adebayor scored on his debut, away to Birmingham City and improved season on season at the Gunners, scoring 62 goals in 142 games between January 2006 and the end of 2008-09. While the number 9 came free in the summer of 2007 after the sale of José Antonio Reyes, Adebayro didn’t switch and it was instead taken by new signing Eduardo.

By the end of 2008-09, though, it was clear that Adebayor no longer wanted to remain at the Emirates.

MANCHESTER CITY (2009-12)

In the summer, Adebayor got a move to newly rich Manchester City, along with Arsenal team-mate Kolo Touré. The defender was given number 28 – which he had had at Arsenal before switching to 5 – and Adebayor continued to have 25 on his back. Wayne Bridge, the previous holder of 25, moved to 3, which had been vacated by Michael Ball.

Adebayor scored 14 goals in 31 games in 2008-09 and, then, unlike at Arsenal, he switched to number 9 for 2009-10.

The new number 25 was City goalkeeper Joe Hart. He had had number 1 in 08-09 but then spent 09-10 on loan at Birmingham City after being displaced as first-choice by Shay Given, who also seized 1.

He did score a hat-trick in the Europa League against Lech Poznan but 13 other appearances in the first half of that season yielded only two more goals. Not featuring in Roberto Mancini’s plans, he was on the move, on loan, in the January transfer window.

REAL MADRID (2011, loan)

Perhaps surprisingly, he was bound for Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid. Perhaps even more surprisingly, he was given the number 6 shirt but it was the only one free between 1 and 25 (as mandated by league rules), the previous incumbent Mahamadou Diarra having joined Adebayor’s former club Monaco.

However, as Uefa don’t allow a team to have more than one player registered in a single number in the same season, Adebayor had to wear 28 in the Champions League. In 22 games for the club, he netted on eight occasions.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (2011-12, loan)

After briefly returning to City – and refusing to train with the reserves – Adebayor was on the move again, another loan, to Tottenham.

With Robbie Keane having joined LA Galaxy, the number 10 was free and this was given to Adebayor, who scored 18 goals in 37 games.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (2012-15)

The loan deal was made permanent but not until late August 2012, by which time Spurs had submitted their new squad numbers, with Rafael van der Vaart having moved from 11 to 10. It meant that, initially, Adebayor was given 25 again.

He replaced van der Vaart in the home draw with West Bromwich Albion on August 25 but it was the Dutchman’s last game for the club as he returned to Hamburg, allowing Adebayor to take back 10 as the Premier League allowed changing of numbers before the summer window closed.

He stayed at White Hart Lane for the next three seasons, with his full record being 42 goals in 113 games.

CRYSTAL PALACE (2016)

Adebayor and Spurs agreed to cancel his contract in September 2015 and he was without a club until he joined Crystal Palace in January of 2016. Once again, he took 25, meaning he wore it for four different English clubs.

He played just 15 games and scored only once, leaving at the end of that season.

İstanbul Başakşehir (2017-present)

After another clubless period, Adebayor joined Turkish side Başakşehir in January of 2017 and took the number 26 – 25 was held by Cheikhou Dieng.

Dieng did depart at the end of 2016-17 but while Adebayor did change numbers, it was to 10, available after Doka Madureira joined Ankaragücü.

TOGO (2000-present)

Real Madrid aside, Adebayor’s club numbers have either been conventional for a striker or else in their 20s, but at international level he has worn 4. Like with 25, this is also a tribute to Nwankwo Kanu.