Juve: Mutu has no drug problem

Juventus insist Adrian Mutu does not have a serious drug problem and have backed him to rebuild his career in Turin.

Mutu has agreed to join the Serie A leaders, and terms on a five-year contract have been finalised, but any move cannot be completed until the English Football Association release his registration.

The Romanian striker was sacked by Chelsea in October and banned for seven months by the FA after testing positive for cocaine during a random drugs test.

His ban, which was extended worldwide by FIFA, runs until May 18.

Despite his controversial exit from Stamford Bridge, Juventus administrator Antonio Giraudo is confident Mutu’s spell at the Delle Alpi will be trouble free.

Giraudo told Gazzetta dello Sport: “We have signed an absolute champion not so much for the present but for the near future.”

When asked if Mutu will follow a special detox programme, he added: “We have done our own research and we believe Adrian does not have a problem of dependence.

“The episode has been the result of the madness of one night due to a professional and personal crisis.

“Now that both problems have been resolved the wonderful man that everyone knows he is will re-emerge.”