Concerns grow for footballer feared trapped under rubble
A FORMER Chelsea and Newcastle United footballer was reported to be missing and feared trapped under rubble last night after his Turkish team was caught up in yesterday’s earthquake.
Christian Atsu, 31, currently plays for Turkish Super Lig club Hatayspor in Kahramanmaras, which was one of the regions hit hardest by the earthquake, which killed at least 2,000 people across eastern Turkey and northern Syria.
Atsu is one of several members of Hatayspor’s team and backroom staff currently unaccounted for, according to Turkish publication Star.
Teammates Burak Oksuz and Bertug Yildirim are among those who have reportedly been pulled from a collapsed building in Kahramanmaras, a city around 30 miles from each of the quake’s epicentres. Oskuz was wearing a Hatayspor jersey.
Hatayspor technical director Ekrem Eksioglu, coach Osman Ates and player Kerim Alici have also been confirmed to be safe. But fears are growing for Atsu and the club’s sporting director, Taner Savut, who have not been accounted for and could still be trapped in the rubble, according to reports.
Atsu was part of the Newcastle team which won promotion back to the Premier League in 2017 after joining on loan for the season from Chelsea, and later completed a permanent move.
A post on Newcastle’s Twitter account said: “Praying for some positive news, @Christianatsu20.”
The Ghana Football Association said in a statement: “We pray for Ghana international Christian Atsu and victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Christian Atsu and our brothers and sisters in Turkey and Syria. We remain hopeful for positive news.”
As well as Chelsea and Newcastle, Atsu also spent time on loan with Everton and Bournemouth.
Bournemouth said: “Everyone at AFC Bournemouth is hoping for positive news regarding Christian Atsu.”