The former Argentina soccer captain is recovering from his last relapse, has several sponsorship offers and will try to tackle his ballooning weight, Taleb told reporters after visiting Maradona at Havana's La Pradera health farm.

"Diego is in a process of fast recovery, and I hope he continues on this path. I'd say he is going through one of his better moments. He is eager to work," Taleb said.

He said Maradona, 44, planned to travel to Argentina in February to see his daughters and undergo treatment to lose weight.

Maradona moved to Cuba in 2000 seeking treatment for cocaine addiction and privacy. He lived at La Pradera.

After a relapse that left him in intensive care with heart and breathing problems in Buenos Aires last March, Maradona was confined to a psychiatric clinic by his family. A judge allowed him to return to Cuba in September on the condition that he undergo stricter treatment at a mental health center.

The Japan Times Weekly: Jan. 29, 2005
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