Gronkjaer eyes Madrid move to restart career

Two former Chelsea players are looking to make two very different moves in an attempt to reignite their fading careers.

Two former Chelsea players are looking to make two very different moves in an attempt to reignite their fading careers.

Adrian Mutu, the former Chelsea striker, will start a programme of drug rehabilitation next month under the guidance of Tony Adams while Jesper Gronkjaer, the Danish winger who is now at Birmingham City, is on the verge of bringing an end to his brief, disappointing stay in the Midlands by joining La Liga underachievers Atletico Madrid in the January transfer window.

The 25-year-old Mutu will be at the Sporting Chance Clinic for two weeks, the charity formed by Adams, after testing positive for cocaine earlier this season. After he was sacked by Chelsea, the Romania international was given a seven-month ban from football, fined £20,000 following a Football Association disciplinary hearing and told to spend time at the clinic.

Mutu, who arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2003 for £15.8m from Parma, asked to work with Adams, a former alcoholic.

"Because of the public nature of Adrian's ban and its conditions, I can confirm he will be with us in the new year," said Peter Kay, the chief executive officer of Sporting Chance. "In many ways it will be the biggest challenge of his career. Adrian wanted to work with Tony as he was a high-profile sportsman who overcame an addiction."

Gronkjaer, meanwhile, has given his go-ahead for the move to Madrid and Atletico's sporting director, Toni Muñoz, has been in England since Tuesday in an attempt to close the deal.

Atletico are offering half the £2.2m fee Birmingham paid Chelsea for the player in the close season, but they are also prepared to accept a loan deal with an option to buy.

Atletico are ready to offer a three-and-a-half-year deal to the Dane, who will almost be guaranteed a place in the first team given the club's shortage of players on the right side of midfield.

Steve Bruce, Birmingham's manager, has dismissed speculation linking central defender Matthew Upson with a move to either Newcastle or Barcelona.