Former football star George Best was readmitted to intensive care today.
But doctors said he was "perfectly stable" and had not suffered a serious relapse.
A spokesman at the Cromwell Hospital in west London said: "He has been readmitted to intensive care.
"It is just for some respiratory management procedures. He is perfectly stable and is talking to his family.
"He just needed help to sort out some breathing problems."
The 59-year-old ex-Manchester United star was admitted to the hospital with flu-like symptoms on 1 October.
His health then rapidly deteriorated when he developed a kidney infection and internal bleeding and he was transferred to intensive care.
He was moved out of intensive care nine days ago as his condition improved but is now back there after the breathing trouble developed.
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