Paul Gascoigne was yesterday threatened with legal action by his Chinese club Gansu Tianma where he is a player-coach.
Gascoigne has not been seen in China since the league was suspended and the area effectively quarantined following the SARS epidemic.
"If he doesn't come back, we'll take action under international legal norms," said a spokeswoman. "The team wants him to return".
The midfielder's representative claims he has not returned because of a pay dispute that has still to be resolved. He is almost six months into a one-year contract.
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Gascoigne has recently returned to Britain with former wife Sheryl and the children after a holiday in the United States that followed his 35 days in an Arizona rehabiliation clinc.