Clint Dempsey says Emmanuel Adebayor’s return from injury is a big boost for Tottenham and will “push everyone’s game to another level” after the international break.

Adebayor was a key player for the Lilywhites last campaign, scoring 18 goals and contributing a further 12 assists during his season-long loan from Manchester City.

The 28-year-old made a permanent move to White Hart Lane during the summer but has struggled to make an impact since his return.

A lack of pre-season training, followed by a hamstring injury and the form of Jermain Defoe, has restricted him to just three appearances – all of them coming as a substitute.

However, the Togo international looked bright when he came off the bench for the final 22 minutes of Sunday’s victory over Aston Villa – and Dempsey is expecting him to be a big asset when Spurs resume their campaign in two weeks’ time.

“We had Adebayor coming back to fitness against Villa, which is a big boost for us,” said Dempsey. “You could see his quality when he came on the pitch. There is more competition for spots and that will push everyone’s game to another level.

“He has confidence and you can tell he enjoys the game. He is someone who is very talented on the ball and he is an unselfish player.

“If he is in a position and he can put someone in a goalscoring opportunity, he’ll play him in. He does a good job keeping possession and he works hard for the team.

“It’s great to have a player of his quality and it’s fun for the rest of the team to play with a player like him.”

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