Fabrice Muamba was given 15 defibrillator shocks and his heart stopped for 78 minutes - but he has now told Bolton's doctor: 'I'm fine.'
Jonathan Tobin has revealed details of the extraordinary efforts to save the midfielder's life after he collapsed on the pitch against Tottenham on Saturday.
Muamba remains in intensive care at the London Chest Hospital but there is now growing optimism that he will make a full recovery.
He was visited by Thierry Henry, who briefly played with him during their Arsenal days together, on Wednesday afternoon.
Life savers: The four doctors who treated Fabrice Muamba - heart specialist Dr Andrew Deaner, consultant cardiologist Dr Sam Mohiddin, Tottenham doctor Shabaaz Mughal and Bolton doctor Jonathan Tobin
Heroes: The four doctors chat outside the London Chest Hospital
Bolton have also confirmed that they will return to White Hart Lane next Tuesday to replay the cancelled FA Cup quarter-final match.
Tobin said: 'I'm glad to say that the early signs of recovery have continued. I went to see Fabrice last night. I went in and he said "Hi, doc".
'I asked him how he was and he said "Fine". I explained to him what had happened. That's the sort of level of communication I have had with Fabrice.'
Tobin - who gave mouth-to-mouth resucitation to Muamba - also admitted he was left 'fearing the worst' after the player required 15 separate shocks - two on the pitch, one in the tunnel and another 13 in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Support: Bolton fans posted more messages for Muamba at the Reebok Stadium
Favourite: Dozens of messages were scribbled on this poster of the stadium
None of these worked as his heart failed to restart for 78 minutes in the frantic efforts to revive him.
After working on Muamba for 48 minutes before his arrival at hospital, Dr Tobin confirmed the player continued to receive treatment for 30 minutes before his heart showed signs of activity.
'In effect he was dead in that time,' Tobin said. 'Fabrice was in a type of cardiac arrest where the heart is showing lots of electrical activity but no muscular activity.
'It's something that often responds to drugs and shocks. Now heaven knows why, but Fabrice had, in total, 15 shocks. He had a further 12 shocks in the ambulance.'
Bolton will return to Tottenham to replay the FA Cup match with the blessing of Fabrice Muamba's fiancee and family.
They will make their first return to the pitch since his heart attack at White Hart Lane when they take on Blackburn this Saturday.
And they will then take on Spurs on Tuesday at 7.30pm - in the match which was abandoned after the horrific scenes last weekend.
Backing from the stars: Lionel Messi wears a tribute t-shirt on Tuesday night after Emmanuel Adebayor's visit
Bolton boss Owen Coyle said: 'We spoke together with the players as a group this morning and I talked with Fabrice's family last night.
'Fabrice's father Marcel and his fiancรฉe Shauna were keen that we fulfil our fixtures. Once the players knew this, there was no doubt in our minds that we would play the matches.'
It comes as Muamba's amazing recovery from a cardiac arrest has raised hopes he could make a top-flight comeback.
Support: Bolton team-mates Nigel Reo-Coker, Darren Pratley and Mark Davies visit on Tuesday
Club sources admit they are ‘staggered’ by Muamba’s progress, while team-mates who visited him at the London Chest Hospital left feeling like they had witnessed a ‘miracle’.
Coyle, who has kept a bedside vigil since Muamba collapsed on Saturday evening, spoke to the player on Tuesday.
Although Coyle urged caution over Muamba, who is still in a serious condition in intensive care, he was sufficiently encouraged by the player’s recovery to suggest he could get back to the level at which he performed before the incident.
Leader: Bolton captain Kevin Davies arrives with his wife and child
Asked if the doctors believe he could make a full recovery, Coyle said: ‘They say that is something that has happened before. Every case is individual and on its own merits.
‘The two things that Fabrice have that can help him in this battle are that he is such a fit young man and the life he’s had. He’s had to fight every step of the way in his young journey, so those two things I am sure will stand him in good stead. Football pales into insignificance at this moment, as we know, but he’s an outstanding young individual and we pray that he gets back to that level again.’
Players who visited Muamba on Tuesday — including team-mates Kevin Davies, Darren Pratley, Nigel Reo-Coker and Mark Davies, and Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor — were said to be amazed at the progress that he has made.
Back again: Bolton boss Owen Coyle paid another visit to his player Fabrice Muamba this morning
Adebayor said: ‘He’s much better, he can talk, that’s the most important thing for me. We almost lost him, today he’s with us again. Glory be to God. We just have to see how he reacts when he gets back on his feet.’
One source told Sportsmail: ‘The players feel the progress Fabrice has made is nothing short of a miracle. After what happened on Saturday, seeing Muamba speak and move was not what they were expecting at all. The players were low after Saturday but those who have visited him feel a lot more upbeat.’
Coyle added: ‘It’s early days, but I’ve spoken to Shauna, his partner, and his dad Marcel about it and where we all were on Saturday night, I would never have envisaged the improvement that has come. I was fortunate to see Fabrice and had a brief conversation. He has still got a long way to go but it’s encouraging.’According to one friend, Muamba’s biggest concern after waking from his coma was how his team had done in the FA Cup quarter-final in which he collapsed.
Aime Esalo revealed the Bolton midfielder asked his father Marcel: 'Did we lose?' Mr Esalo added: 'When he was told they were drawing, Fabrice asked why they had stopped the game and his father said, "Because of you".'
Muamba’s improvement did not stop Roberto Mancini hitting out on Thursday at what he believes are inadequate medical standards in English football.
The Italian, whose Manchester City side face Chelsea in the Premier League on Wednesday, said: ‘Here in England is the best championship in the world — it’s fantastic — but we need to improve the medical side for the players.
‘We need to screen the players more often, maybe twice a year and more accurately. When I saw our medical system, I was really worried when I arrived two years ago. I said that we had to do it better.
‘It is better in Italy. The medicals for all players are fantastic. The medicals are really strong in Italy during pre-season, for every player, and they happen every six months.
Support: Football remained united behind Muamba as matches took place across the country
‘When I came here and saw all the players in pre-season for their medical, I said to the doctor, “This is not enough for the players”.
‘I felt it was a really light medical. It is not enough. For me, it is not good. It’s impossible that one young guy dies on the pitch because we didn’t do a medical accurately.
‘I want that our players and all the players in the Premier League can have a more accurate medical. Always, not just once a year.’
Under current regulations, players in England are given cardio checks as they work through the youth system. However, this tends to stop when they reach maturity.
Mancini added: ‘In 2012, it can’t be that something happens to a player like on Saturday. It is impossible. This guy is 23. I hope that it will go very well for him and I pray for him because this situation is impossible.’
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