Football legend George Best was tonight recovering in an intensive care unit after being struck down by an infection.
George Best is in intensive care in a London hospital
The former Manchester United star was in a "serious but improving" condition at the private Cromwell Hospital in west London.
His condition was not directly related to his well-documented struggle with alcohol, according to Professor Roger Williams.
But he would have been more susceptible to the illness because he has been on a course of medication to prevent his body rejecting a new liver.
Best had a life-saving transplant operation in 2002 after his old liver was left ravaged by decades of heavy drinking.
Prof Williams, who has been responsible for Best 's care since the transplant, said it was hoped that the 59-year-old would be moved out of intensive care in the next 24 hours before spending at least a week in hospital.
The one-time Northern Ireland international had been taken to intensive care last night after his condition deteriorated and he became "severely ill", he added.
"We are not exactly sure where the infection is - there are several possible sites," he said.
"With an infection, all the organs become involved, including the kidneys and liver, but they are all beginning to work properly again. People fear the worst because it is George Best, but there is no real cause for alarm."
Prof Williams later said Best 's kidneys were now "working again" after being affected by the infection.
The ex-player had been responding to treatment and was today in "reasonable shape", he said.
He would not say whether he had been drinking again. But he told BBC Radio Five Live that his current illness was not "directly related" to his alcoholism.