Mutu deal off - agent

Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu’s mooted loan move to Juventus has fallen through, according to the player’s agent.

The Romanian international faces stiff competition at Stamford Bridge since the signings of Ivory Coast hitman Didier Drogba and Serbo-Montenegrin forward Mateja Kezman.

The former Inter Milan, Verona and Parma man had been looking to return to Italy with Juventus, but now his agent claims the deal is off.

“Mutu will be a Chelsea player for the next four years,” said the agent, Giovanni Becali, in remarks reported on www.gazzetta.it.

“Chelsea wanted the first option on the future transfer of Mutu but the Juventus directors rejected the proposal.”

Mutu was one of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich’s major recruits last season and after joining the London club from Parma he made a good start.

However, he lost form as the season went on and now his place in the starting line-up looks even more precarious following the club’s close-season captures.