5 Things To Know About Late Ghanaian Football Star, Christian Atsu

Christian Atsu, a Ghanaian international football player, was discovered dead in Turkey following a severe earthquake.

His body was discovered beneath the debris in the southern Turkish province of Hatay, according to his manager in Turkey, Murat Uzunmehmet, who spoke to DHA news agency on Saturday.

READ ALSO: Turkey Earthquake: Ghana Football Star Christian Atsu Found Dead, Confirms Agent

These are five facts about the late football player Atsu:

1. Christian Atsu, who is from Ghana, was born in January 1992.

2. Atsu, who began his football career in Porto, was signed by Chelsea and eventually by Newcastle.

3. He won player and goal of the tournament at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

4. Atsu got married to his wife, Marie-Claire Rupio in 2012, and had three children, two sons and a daughter.

5. Before his death, he was currently playing for Hatayspor and the Ghana national football team as a midfielder.

Ghana stated that it was coordinating with the Turkish authorities to arrange for the return of Atsu’s body for burial in his native country.

Midfielder Atsu played for Chelsea for four seasons before moving permanently to Newcastle in 2017. He committed to Turkish Super Lig club Hatayspor last September.

Chelsea made the following announcement: “It is with enormous sadness that Chelsea Football Club receives the news that Christian Atsu is confirmed as one of the many victims of the dreadful earthquake in Turkey and Syria.”

Newcastle also paid hommage to “a talented player and a special person.”

The club added, “He will always be fondly remembered by our players, staff and supporters.

“Initially joining on loan, he played a key role in the Magpies squad that secured the Championship title in 2017 before making a permanent move to help us establish our place back in the Premier League.”

Atsu’s body was discovered by search and rescue personnel at the Ronesans Residence, a high-rise luxury apartment building that collapsed in Antakya city in Hatay, where he was residing.

According to state news agency Anadolu, Turkish authorities detained the building’s contractor last week at the airport in Istanbul as he seemed to be traveling to Montenegro.