Former Premier League footballer Christian Atsu is amongst those trapped under rubble in Turkey after a huge earthquake, according to reports.
After being caught up in the 7.7 magnitude earthquake, Atsu, who previously played for Chelsea and Newcastle United, is being searched for. Last summer, the Ghana international with 65 caps joined Super Lig club Hataysport.
Following the earthquake, several members of his new team had to be rescued, and Atsu is now reported to be among those still missing as a search and rescue operation begins. Taner Savut, the club’s sporting director, is also entrapped as efforts to free them continue.
Atsu joined Chelsea as a youngster from Porto in 2013 before being loaned out several times. He spent time at Everton and Bournemouth before joining Newcastle United on a permanent basis in 2017. He had never played in the Premier League for Chelsea.
He left the Magpies in 2021 after playing over 100 games to join Saudi side Al-Raed, but he left the Middle East for Turkey in the summer. He scored his first goal for the club just hours before the earthquake hit.
More than 1,300 people have lost their lives in the disaster, with a further 6,000 injured, according to officials. A massive aftershock with a magnitude of 7.5 hit Turkey’s south hours after the original quake. Reports say it was felt once again in Syria and also Iraqi Kurdistan.