City misfit headed for Real and other red-hot gossip

(13-01-2011) Real Madrid are ready to end Emmanuel Adebayor's Manchester City hell by taking him on loan with a view to a permanent move in the summer. According to reports, the Spanish giants are desperate to sign a striker in the January transfer window after losing ace marksman Gonzalo Higuain for the rest of the season with a serious back injury. Elsewhere, Manchester United are hoping to secure a long-term target - Lyon playmaker and France international Yoann Gourcuff this summer; Arsenal's Spanish keeper Manuel Almunia and Russian forward Andrey Arshavin could both be about to leave the north London club; and Spurs are on the verge of signing Everton winger Steve Pienaar and are also keeping tabs on Manchester United defender Wes Brown.