Gianluca Vialli has been undergoing treatment for cancer for the past year

The former Chelsea player and manager insists he is now 'very well indeed'

The 54-year-old hopes his story and recovery can help inspire people

Gianluca Vialli has been undergoing treatment for cancer for the past year, but the former Chelsea player and manager insists he is now 'very well indeed.'

The Italian makes the revelation in Monday's Corriere della Sera, and hopes that his story and recovery can help to inspire people.

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'I'm fine now, very well indeed. It's been a year and I'm back to having a beastly physique, although I still have no certainty of how this match will end.

Gianluca Vialli, pictured at the FIFA Best Awards in London two months ago, has revealed he has been undergoing treatment for cancer for the past year

The former Chelsea player and manager, now 54, insists that he is now 'very well indeed'

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'I used to wear a sweater under my shirt so no-one noticed anything. I was still the person everyone knew.

'I hope my story can inspire people, who are at crucial intersections of their lives, and I hope mine is a book to keep on the bedside table so people can read one or two stories before falling asleep or in the morning as soon as they wake up.

'I hope my story can help others, to deal with what's happening in the right way.'

The Italian helped Chelsea win the Cup Winners' Cup in 1998 as player-manager

VIALLI HONOURS LIST Sampdoria 1984-1992 Serie A: 1990–91 Coppa Italia: 1984–85, 87–88, 88–89 Cup Winners' Cup: 1989–90 Juventus 1992-96 Serie A: 1994–95 Coppa Italia: 1994–95 Champions League: 1995–96 UEFA Cup: 1992–93 Chelsea 1996-99 FA Cup: 1996–97 League Cup: 1997–98 Cup Winners' Cup: 1997–98 Super Cup: 1998

The 54-year-old enjoyed a distinguished playing career in both Italy and England.

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He spent the majority of his career at Sampdoria where he lifted the Serie A title, the Cup Winners' Cup and three Coppa Italias.

In four seasons at Juventus he lifted the Champions League in 1996 before making the move to the Premier League and Stamford Bridge.

He again enjoyed success in Europe, winning the Cup Winners' Cup as player manager in 1998 before claiming the FA Cup as permanent manager in 2000.

Vialli left the club in September 2000 and his last management job saw him sacked by Watford in 2002.

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Since then he has taken up occasional work as a pundit and analyst on Italian TV and he remains a keen golfer, often turning up on the Dunhill Links Championship Pro-Am event circuit.

Vialli broke through at Sampdoria where he won six trophies in 10 years as a player