Wenger urges fans to support Adebayor as striker seals new deal

Arsene Wenger yesterday urged the Arsenal supporters to get behind Emmanuel Adebayor now that the striker has finally signed a new contract at the club. The Togo international, who scored 30 goals last season, was the subject of much transfer speculation, much of it generated by himself, during the summer, with Milan and Barcelona both showing an interest.

However, the 24-year-old announced on the eve of the new campaign he would be staying at the Emirates Stadium and had agreed an improved deal, which has now been signed. The deal, worth around £80,000 a week, runs to 2012 and has seen Adebayor double his wages.

Adebayor received a mixed reception from some Arsenal fans on his return to action, with some making their feelings known at times in the opening league match of the season against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. However, Wenger is keen for the fans to support Adebayor. "We have to get behind him because he is a tremendous force and [is of] tremendous importance for the team," he said. "What happened in the transfer period did not always reflect his deep desire and there was manipulation from agents on both sides, but overall I am positive he will recover."

Adrian Mutu will appeal against the £13.68m fine he has been ordered to pay his former club Chelsea, claiming Fifa's ruling is "unjust" and "inhumane".

Fifa's dispute resolution chamber ruled that Mutu must pay compensation after testing positive for cocaine while at Stamford Bridge in 2004. The Romania striker was sacked by Chelsea following his failed test but has since rebuilt his career in Italy. "This is an unjust and inhumane sentence," Mutu said before confirming that his lawyers were studying the case. "We are going to appeal."

l The Premier League has confirmed that the first transfer deadline of the season will be extended to midnight on 1 September. The window was scheduled to close 24 hours earlier but has been put back because 31 August is a Sunday.