FORMER Chelsea and Newcastle winger Christian Atsu is reportedly ‘stuck trapped under rubble of a destroyed building’ following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey.
More than 1,600 people have been killed and thousands more injured after the catastrophic earthquake that rocked Turkey and Syria overnight, flattening neighbourhoods while families were asleep.
As reported by multiple outlets in Turkey, cited by the British Daily Mail news outlet, a search and rescue operation is underway for Ghanaian international Atsu – who joined Turkish Super Lig club Hatayspor last summer.
Two of his team-mates as well as members of the technical staff were said to have been pulled out of the rubble, though Atsu – who scored a dramatic late winner for his club yesterday – is still missing.
The 31-year-old joined Chelsea in 2013 but never played a competitive minute for the club as he was sent out on loan for a number of seasons including to Everton and Newcastle.
Though he made just five appearances at Everton, he impressed enough on loan at Newcastle to make a permanent move to the Magpies.
In total he made 107 appearances for the club, scoring eight goals, before joining Saudi side Al-Raed in 2021.
Newcastle have posted on social media, with a photo of Atsu when he was at the club, saying they were ‘praying for some good news.’
Atsu was in action on Sunday for Hatayspor, scoring a goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time in a 1-0 victory over Kasimpasa.
In a message after the game, he wrote: ‘Important win for the team. Happy to be on the scoresheet.’
The earthquake hit hard in Kahramanmaras, where Hatayspor are based.
