Adrian Mutu, the Romanian striker, was a magnet for controversy throughout his career. His brief stint at Chelsea from 2003 to 2004, under the management of Claudio Ranieri, ended in disaster for all involved – just one episode in Mutu’s tumultuous journey.
The forward first made headlines as a teenager in Romania, before a successful four-year spell in Italy persuaded Chelsea to splash the cash on him. Ranieri was full of praise for his new signing, likening Mutu’s goal-scoring prowess to the lethal precision of a ‘snake’.
By this point, Mutu had married his first wife, TV presenter Alexandra Dinu, and had been nominated for the Ballon d’Or. Although he didn’t win the prestigious award, he received the same number of votes as Brazilian football icon Ronaldinho.
However, Mutu’s time at Stamford Bridge was marred by controversy. He was caught on camera by a Romanian tabloid in an alleged romantic liaison with adult film star Laura Andresan, which included claims of blood-sucking.
Later in 2004, he tested positive for cocaine, resulting in a seven-month ban from the FA and dismissal from Chelsea. A second suspension followed six years later during his time in Italy, after he tested positive for an appetite suppressant.
Mutu’s time at Stamford Bridge took a turn for the worse when Ranieri was replaced by Jose Mourinho, who quickly put an end to Mutu’s party lifestyle. The two never saw eye to eye.
In 2005, following a tumultuous split, Mutu tied the knot for the second time with Dominican model Consuelo Matos Gomez. They spent a decade together and had two children.
By this point, Mutu had served his first ban and made a comeback with Juventus. However, his most successful stint would be a five-season run with Fiorentina, where he scored an impressive 70 goals in 143 matches.
Afterward, he had stints with Cesena and Ajaccio before making late-career moves to India and back to Romania. In a surprising twist, Mutu featured in a music video for renowned rapper Snoop Dogg in 2014.
That same year, he retired from professional football and married for the third time. He and former Miss Romania, Sandra Bachici, welcomed their first child in 2016.
Mutu then began working towards a career in management. Now aged 46, with a colourful career both on and off the pitch, Mutu was last seen managing Romanian side FC Petrolul Ploiești after very brief stints with Neftchi Baku and CFR Cluj.
