Pardew: If I can handle Ben Arfa, I can handle Adebayor

The striker has a history of bust ups with managers at his previous clubs, but the 54-year-old is certain he'll get the best out of him if he moves to Selhurst Park

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew says he will have no problem handling Emmanuel Adebayor if he signs for the club.
The striker has been a free agent since his Tottenham contract was mutually terminated in September.
The former Arsenal and Manchester City man, who has scored 122 Premier League goals,

had several disputes with Spurs coach Mauricio Pochettino in his final months in London.

But Pardew has now gone public with his interest in Adebayor and has dismissed concerns he could struggle to get the best out of him.

"Whenever he has played against me he has been totally committed and he’s a dangerous world player," said 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."

Pardew also revealed he had come close to signing him during his time in charge of West Ham.

"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 strenghen."