Christian Atsu’s death is one of the saddest days in my life – Avram Grant

Former Black Stars coach, Avram Grant has disclosed that the news of Christian Atsu’s demise will go down as one of the saddest moments in his life.

The body of the late Ghanaian player was found in the Turkey earthquake on Saturday, February 18, 2023, after 12 days of search by the rescue team.

Avram Grant who was one of the coaches who kept faith with Atsu during his torrid spell at Everton disclosed that it was hard to deal with the death of his former player.

“It’s one of the saddest days that I had in my life you know. To hear that about Christian, 31 years old. Fantastic person — a good man — this is difficult. Difficult for me to speak about him now, he’s part of the past,” Grant said in an interview with George Addo Jnr.

According to the former Chelsea manager, he started monitoring the news from the onset when the earthquake occurred and became more worried when he heard the information of one Ghanaian player trapped in the rubble.

He added that he constantly hoped the rescue team who were sent from his country Israel would find him alive but unfortunately it was too late.

“I heard the news when it happened on day 1. I think after the earthquake they said it was a player from Ghana so I checked and people told me that it was Christian Atsu.

“I spoke to his agent and we tried to find a way, how to help his rescue. The rescue team was from my country so I sent them to check, but nobody knows where he is. Then the news that maybe he was okay and they found him but it was as you know; it was not true but we were so happy to hear it and then day by day it became worse and worse until we found out. It was really a shock, a big shock for me,” Avram Grant said.

In a season where Christian Atsu played just five games for Everton, Avram Grant took a firm decision to include the winger in his squad for the AFCON.

Atsu ended up being named the 2015 AFCON Player of the Tournament and in the Team of the Tournament.

Watch the latest videos on Christian Atsu below

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