After rumours of Tevez, Neymar & Aguero, Real Madrid’s desire to land Adebayor permanently is sheer anti-climax

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By Paul Macdonald

What does it take to defeat Barcelona? It is Jose Mourinho‘s eminent question. The role he was employed to decipher, and one that has, so far, been beyond him.

After a season bowing to Barca’s brilliance both domestically and in Europe, a multitude of attacking alternatives have been linked with the club since the summer window swung open; Sergio Aguero? Neymar? Carlos Tevez? None of which have came to fruition as of yet, and the whispers and the murmurings have proved unsubstantial to this point.

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Madrid’s numerous reinforcements have emerged in other positions: Nuri Sahin, Fabio Coentrao, et al, are useful additions, but fail to address the attacking deficiency that Mourinho found such a concern before the 2010-11 season. Despite the apparent courting of stellar names, and judging from the Portuguese’s recent comments, it appears that Emmanuel Adebayor appears closest to etching a permanent contract at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Mourinho remarked earlier in the week that the club were nearer to securing the signature of Adebayor rather than Aguero or Neymar, but his inclusion seems irrelevant in respect of Madrid’s future ideals.

Adebayor spent six months last season in the Spanish capital from January 2011, and to his credit absorbed some of the attacking strain after the winter break. To Madrid’s surprise, however, Karim Benzema metamorphosed from a hapless, expensive, expendable asset to crucial goal-getter in the absence of anointed, but injured, No.9, Gonzalo Higuain.

The Manchester City loanee initiated a shake-up, and additional competition, particularly once Higuain was fit once again. He has a resonance with the audience that seems to transmit to the rest of the players, discernible by their affectionate nickname of ‘Manolo’ during his brief period.

The fans, too, seemed to have taken to him; the 27-year-old was roundly applauded during his Santiago Bernabeu-spell, adulation that led to the player – when asked if he would return to Spain – claiming that he would “walk to Los Angeles” to join his former colleagues at their pre-season training camp.

However, the Togolese, in truth, endured a relatively inauspicious six months in Spain, save for a spectacular double in the comprehensive 4-0 win over Tottenham in the Champions League quarter-final.

It’s all very well. Yes, Adebayor represents an alternative option for Real Madrid, and yes, he does command a physical presence when one is necessary. However, when his loan period expired it appeared, to many, to be a sufficient transaction.

Adebayor, even in the Clasico matches where Benzema was ineffective and Higuain unfit, was still regarded as nothing other than an expendable option, and indeed his over-aggressive approach in the Copa del Rey final meant he was lucky to remain on the pitch, which could have proved so costly for his team.

Therefore, the need for a permanent deal was utterly outweighed by any one of a trio of revered South American superstars. A multitude of mouth-watering, and far superior, favourites have been mooted. Furthermore, his lack of minutes last season against the only team that Madrid must overcome, the might of Barca, begs the question – why bring him in now?

Settle for less | After being linked with three superstars, Adebayor’s addition is a letdown

The Madridistas have been enticed by the scent of another Galactico addition. Coentrao may have cost close to €30 million (£26.4m), but a high-value, squad-enhancing attacker has yet to follow. Stellar names, at least in the eyes of the extravagant president Florentino Perez, has been speculated but as yet unconfirmed.

There is the feeling then that, after flirting with football’s glitterati, the capital club’s audience may feel somewhat short-changed. After all, they are battling one of the greatest teams of all time. Does Adebayor represent a step forward in the race for the Catalan coat-tails, or a sidestep taken with the arrival of another in mind?

Aguero is a target that has disintegrated as time has progressed, with Manchester City or Juventus seeming more likely, while Tevez’s links with Corinthians have perhaps led his career path in another direction.

Neymar, meanwhile, has declared his defiance to remain at Santos at least until after the Club World Cup, but there is belief that the prodigious winger could be set to move to Madrid in January, preferring to duel with Barca in the colours of Santos at the Club World Cup in December before making the move to Spain.

If that is the case, Adebayor could be – once again – nothing more than a six-month stop-gap until a change of ideas is employed by Mourinho. The striker adds his name to the list alongside Benzema and Higuain. Madrid begin next season with a similar tactical outlook, but with three players competing for a single position.

There is no denying that it seems like somewhat of a letdown. With Neymar, Tevez and Aguero positively linked to a move to the Bernabeu, the inclusion of a likeable, but comparatively ineffective frontman hardly strikes a stinging blow to the Catalunyan contingent.

As Barca edge in on Alexis Sanchez, regarded as one of the finest players in the world at the moment, they are attempting to solidify their position at the pinnacle of the modern game. Madrid were expected to follow suit, but have instead spent big on a, some would say, needless defensive addition, while the tickertape attacker remains undefined. Jose Mourinho clearly has a plan in mind, but after proving to be a sufficient stop-gap, few would have demanded that Adebayor become part of the long-term outlook at Santiago Bernabeu.