Mutu, The Office and a drugs raid by police

But unwittingly they have all been caught up in a cocaine scandal that has prompted a major police investigation and kept Romanian newspapers in business for months. The saga even prompted Mutu to publicly deny earlier this year that he had ever taken the drug. "Me. Cocaine? God forbid. These are very cheap rumours. I can always bring as truth the tests that I take in the UK. The life of a footballer does not allow you to slip up like this.

"We take weekly tests in England. We have urine tests, blood tests, hair tests. If you have no hair on your head they take from wherever you can. All tests are sealed and sent to the United states. Keep this in mind: it happens once a week."

That he had to issue such a denial in August says much about the way the story has swirled round Romania ever since police launched an undercover investigation into a drug-dealing ring linked to relatives of the head of the country's Football Association, Mircea Sandu. His daughter, Raluca, a friend of Mutu, according to Romanian media, and nephew, Robert, were suspected of using and dealing in cocaine. The police investigation centred on one of Bucharest's trendiest nightspots, The Office.

The club is way beyond the reaches of most Romanians who earn no more than £100 per month. It is a magnet for Romania's leading celebrities, serving drinks at prices described as "hideously western".

In December 2002, police found cocaine on the floor and around the table where Raluca and her then boyfriend, former Italy goalkeeper, Walter Zenga, were sitting. Petrescu and his then wife, Dana, were also in the club at the time.

As the investigation into the Sandus continued, police formally questioned Petrescu and his wife. Petrescu said: "I had no interesting details to tell them. They wanted to know what happened in The Office. I cannot tell you anything about what I told prosecutors. It is confidential."

His lawyer, Florin Comasa, said: "Dan was called as a witness. This is a huge file with many people involved. Dan was only in the wrong place at the wrong time."

The investigation took an extraordinary turn when Raluca Sandu left Romania for the United States without informing the state prosecutor. Although her lawyer provided them with an address, prosecutors say she has not responded to their attempts to contact her. Robert Sandu, meanwhile, has been arrested and is awaiting trial on charges of drug dealing.

Mutu's advisers deny the player knows Robert or Raluca Sandu. But Catalin Tolontan, editor in chief of sports daily Gazeta Sprorturilor, said of Mutu and Raluca: "They did not have any romantic relationship but they are part of the same crowd. They [Raluca and Mutu] would meet together. Even when Mutu was fighting with his wife Alexandra, while they were getting divorced, Mutu was with Raluca."

The investigation has since widened to touch other Romanian celebrities. Tiriac Jnr and his girlfriend, Ilean Lazariuc, a popular model in Romania, were interviewed by police several times. The pair were even prevented from leaving the country by prosecutors and asked to assist police into their investigation.

That prompted Tiriac senior to issue a public statement on his son's behalf. "I fought for correctness and legality both in life and and in sports," said Tiriac. "I educated my son in the same values. We want the truth to prevail. I think nobody is above the law. I hope nobody is below it."

Needless to say, Romania has been enthralled by every chapter in what has become an extraordinary story. All that is lacking is an ending.