Former Manchester United striker Andrew Cole has undergone a kidney transplant, the club have confirmed.
Cole, 45, was diagnosed in 2015 with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, which causes scarring of the kidney and impacts on levels of protein in the body, and has been battling the condition ever since. United said the operation was "part of his treatment" for the illness.
He "will be taking a break" from his role as an ambassador for the club, they added, calling for the former player to be given privacy during his recovery.
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Cole, who began his career at Arsenal and also played for Newcastle, played under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford between 1995 and 2001, scoring 121 goals in 275 games and winning every major trophy.
With 187 goals to his name, he remains the third-highest scorer in Premier League history, reports The Sun. He also won 15 England caps during a 19-year career that also saw him play for Bristol City, Blackburn, Fulham, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Birmingham, Sunderland, Burnley and Nottingham Forest
The former England international spoke about his condition following his diagnosis in 2015 - and the death of [1]All Black rugby legend Jonah Lomu from kidney disease - saying the treatment was "tough going".
Michael Calvin in The Independent wrote at the time: "He put on excessive weight due to his medication, following three weeks in hospital, and was confronted by the casual cruelty of strangers.
"Abused on social media and antagonised on the streets, he was dehumanised by his familiarity as a renowned Manchester United player.
"But his candour is important, since his status facilitates the sharing of thought-provoking experience. By talking so openly about the exhausting nature of his treatment, and the impact of vindictive mockery, he invites us to count our blessings and offers implicit support to fellow sufferers.
"The mortality of celebrated athletes always comes as a shock, and Cole had every reason to dwell on the personal relevance of Jonah Lomu's tragically premature death."
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