Tim Sherwood is still interested in signing Tottenham outcast Emmanuel Adebayor, who rejected a loan move to Aston Villa during the transfer window.

Adebayor was offered an escape route out of White Hart Lane but the Togolese striker turned down the chance to reunite with Sherwood, having worked together at Tottenham.

The former Arsenal and Real Madrid striker has since been told he has no future in London, as the player continues to train with the Under 21 team.

There are reports Adebayor's final contract could be terminated and Sherwood is waiting in the wings if that happens.

"I would not hesitate. If he had the desire to want to come and play football again, I would have taken him in a heartbeat," Sherwood said. "We still have to respect his decision, whatever he makes. It's his - I can't influence it.

"Am I disappointed? I'm disappointed for him because he's not going to play. He's too good a talent - I've seen that first hand - to not play any football, but unfortunately I don't think there's any window open for him now."

The Villa manager believes Adebayor wishes to remain in Europe but isn't sure how things will work out for him now that the transfer window is shut until January. 

"If he wanted to play in Qatar he would have gone there a long time ago. It's hard to say. I was going to say he's not in it for the money but, genuinely, he wants to play at the top level," Sherwood said. "It's not financial. It's easy to say that when you're on his money, but he would genuinely play for nothing. It's not his fault he's not part of their plans."