Emmanuel Adebayor seeks 'fresh start' at Tottenham

Emmanuel Adebayor has urged Tottenham fans to forget his time at Arsenal after completing his season-long loan from Manchester City on Thursday.

The former Togo striker's move is a controversial one as he spent three-and-a-half years with the Gunners.

Adebayor is keen to focus only on the future and believes he can help Harry Redknapp's men into the top four of the Premier League.

"The past is the past, I'm looking to the future," said the 27-year-old.

"You have to be strong to decide to come to Tottenham, I played for three-and-a-half years for Arsenal and there's a lot of rivalry."

Some Tottenham fans have never hidden their dislike of the former City frontman and have chanted offensive songs about him - one of which anti-racism group Kick It Out condemned - whenever he has faced the White Hart Lane club.

"All I want is to play football and to enjoy myself and today I'm a Tottenham footballer," said Adebayor.

"Tottenham have always been a good club. I know a lot of the players and I have a lot of friends here, so when I got the call to come and join the club and to help the club achieve what they want to achieve, I quickly said yes."

Adebayor admitted that a falling-out with Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini dented his confidence, but he is now sure he can excel under Redknapp's tutelage.

"I've been through a lot of difficult moments," he added. "What I need is to play football.

"Harry Redknapp is a great manager and a great person. As a footballer it is really important to work with a person who really understands you, which is the key for me, and he's one of the few who really understands me.

"There are a lot of good players here and I'm here to do my job, score goals, play football, enjoy myself once again on the pitch.

"I'm in a club where everyone has confidence in me, everyone trusts me, everyone knows what I am capable of doing, which is important for me, and it's up to me to show them that they are not wrong.

"To finish in the top four is not going to be easy, but I think we've got the squad."