Former Premier League striker Emmanuel Adebayor made headlines when he rejected a move to Aston Villa at the 11th hour, citing a dream as the reason. Adebayor, who was set to join Villa Park from Tottenham in 2015, completed a medical and even had his picture taken with the shirt before refusing to sign. The Togo international claimed that a "higher power" instructed him not to give the green light to the transfer.
Dreams Over Deals
In a shocking turn of events, Emmanuel Adebayor spurned the opportunity to join Aston Villa despite being on the cusp of completing the transfer. The striker had a medical, posed for pictures with the Villa shirt, but then backed out, claiming that a dream he had the night before convinced him it was the wrong move. Adebayor insisted that a "higher power" or someone told him to reject the move, and he trusted his instincts.
Villa's Missed Opportunity
Former Aston Villa defender Micah Richards opened up about the day Adebayor snubbed the move while speaking on The Rest is Football podcast with Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer. Richards revealed that Villa were in need of a replacement for Christian Benteke, and Adebayor seemed like the perfect fit. However, after completing all the necessary steps, the striker had a change of heart due to his dream and ultimately did not join the club.
Shearer added some light-hearted humor to the situation, jokingly suggesting that Adebayor's nightmare might have been the prospect of playing alongside Micah Richards again.
A Change of Plans
Adebayor's rejection of Aston Villa did not have a major impact on his career in England. Just one month after snubbing the move, he was released by Tottenham. He then went on to join Crystal Palace in January 2016, playing for the club as a free agent for six months before seeking opportunities elsewhere. Adebayor had stints with İstanbul Basaksehir, Kayserispor, Olimpia, and Semassi before deciding to retire earlier this year.
