Manchester City was closer to adding Emmanuel Adebayor to its already bloated strikeforce Wednesday after the Togo international was granted a work permit to join the club from Arsenal. The transfer is now dependent on a deal being agreed with Adebayor, who is yet to undergo a medical examination. The development came just a day after Argentina striker Carlos Tevez joined City as its Abu Dhabi owner spends freely to turn the Premier League underachievers into a major football power. Manager Mark Hughes, who has also signed England midfielder Gareth Barry and Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz this offseason, was flying to the UAE Wednesday. Aside from meeting the new signings, the owner will undoubtedly want to know what silverware the offseason recruits can win for the Premier League club. While City's owner has already downplayed demands of anything beyond a top-six finish in the Premier League for this season, star signing Carlos Tevez is among those hoping for a serious title challenge after back-to-back triumphs at Manchester United. Hughes knows that City, without a league title since 1968, must start posing a serious challenge to the traditional “Big Four” of champion United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal. Preparing for his second season in charge at Eastlands, Hughes is doing little to dampen the fevered anticipation among long-suffering City fans. “I do get excited,” Hughes said. “Everybody connected with Manchester City would have to agree that this will be a very special season.” Juve signs Melo In Milan, Juventus signed Fiorentina's Brazil midfielder Felipe Melo on Wednesday after beating off competition from Arsenal. Juventus has paid $28.80 million plus winger Marco Marchionni for the 26-year-old, the Turin club said in a statement, adding that he has penned a five-year contract. “I believe a lot in this side. It has been reinforced and can rival any team as we target all the trophies in Italy and Europe,” Melo told the Juventus channel. He recently signed a contract extension with Fiorentina but a 25-million euro escape clause was inserted which Juve has triggered with the cash and player deal.
