In August 2003, Chelsea signed Adrian Mutu for £16 million, during a period of lavish spending under Roman Abramovich`s ownership. He joined other high-profile signings like Damien Duff, Juan Sebastián Verón, Joe Cole, Hernán Crespo, and Claude Makélélé.
The Romanian player, primarily remembered in England for a doping ban rather than his on-field performances, spoke to The Telegraph about that time: “Taking cocaine during my time at Chelsea was the worst decision of my career. I was lonely and sad, but neither depression nor anything else justifies my actions. I should have asked for help, but I didn`t. However, you learn from everything in life, and that lesson made me a better person – much more mature and self-aware. And I am proud of that.”
“Zero tolerance – that was Chelsea`s drug policy. And I think it`s fair. I made a mistake, I strayed from the path, and I paid the price,” he states. “I was caught off guard. I wasn`t used to that life. I wasn`t prepared. I arrived at Chelsea during a turbulent time in my personal life, and I found myself trapped in too many excuses and lies. I was too young and too lonely.”
Reflecting on the consequences of his choices, Mutu said: “I`ve thought about it a lot, and I believe that for more than one season, I was among the best players in the world, so I could have easily won the Ballon d`Or. But bad decisions prevented me from doing so. I try not to dwell on it.”