What is really troubling Gazza?

As the boy wonder of the England football team in the Nineties, he won the hearts of millions.

But today, after checking into a London hospital with a dangerous illness and looking a shadow of his former self, many are wondering what is really wrong with Paul Gascoigne.

The 37-year-old footballer admitted himself on Friday, telling doctors he could not breathe. He was found to have pneumonia and is expected to be in hospital for at least a week.

Although his agent was yesterday quick to insist pneumonia was the only thing wrong with Gascoigne, he admitted there were many rumours of other problems.

One persistent claim is that Gascoigne, who has been in and out of rehab clinics for alcohol addiction, has a liver problem.

This can leave sufferers more susceptible to illnesses such as pneumonia.

A source in Gascoigne's home town of Newcastle said: 'A lot of his problems are related to his stomach and breathing. This could mean that he has a liver disease.

'There is also the fact that he appears to be a funny colour. He has been going under the sun bed and looks tanned but that does not explain why he still appears more yellow than anything else.'

His agent Alex Armitage admitted-when he went into hospital that there could be 'a hundred and one things wrong with him'.

But he said yesterday: 'He's only suffering from pneumonia and not the countless other things being rumoured.' He said Gascoigne's almost haggard appearance was because he had given up drinking and taken up exercise.

The midfielder became a global star during the 1990 World Cup, and also played for Newcastle United, Spurs, Lazio and Glasgow Rangers. But his career has fizzled out with spells at Middlesbrough, Everton, Burnley, a Chinese club and, finally, Boston United.

His talent was marred by the drinking problem which saw him break up with his wife Sheryl. He has admitted going on a six-week cocaine spree and downing two bottles of whisky in 20 minutes.

He gave up drinking more than a year ago but his problems did not end. He had surgery last August for a perforated ulcer and it was revealed he had been 48 hours from death.