Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger chose to sell Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure to Manchester City to break up an African clique inside the dressing room, it has been revealed.

The Observer says there is something ruthlessly strategic about his willingness to do business on Adebayor, Touré, and in all probability Eboué, who capered through a half of Arsenal's 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid. In one fell swoop, it diffuses the three major areas of conflict within the camp.

The tension between Adebayor and Nicklas Bendtner has never been particularly helpful. Then there is the mutual appreciation society involving Touré and William Gallas, which manifested itself in a winter crisis that saw the Frenchman stripped of the captaincy and the Ivorian slapping in a transfer request. Eboué's discord is rather more general, considering he managed to alienate the club's fans, who turned on him last term.

Adebayor, Touré and Eboué led a clique inside the dressing room, with Alexandre Song the junior partner. It is natural that men from a similar cultural background should connect and spend time in each other's company, but at times the group seemed a little too exclusive for comfort.

Song, easily the most improved performer at the club last season, is not seen as expendable by Wenger, but he is likely to be the only survivor.