Turkish side Hatayspor confirm death of Ghanaian winger Christian Atsu

The remains of the Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu will be brought back to Ghana, specifically his hometown, his club Hatayspor has confirmed.

The 31-year-old winger was found dead after he has been missing since Monday, February 6, 2023, when he got trapped under the rubble resulting from a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit south-central Turkey and parts of Syria.

In a tweet confirming his demise, Hatayspor wrote, “The funeral of our football player Christian Atsu, who lost his life under the rubble (debris), is on its way to be sent to his hometown, Ghana.”

“We will not forget you, Atsu. Peace be upon you, beautiful person. There are no words to describe our sadness. REST in PEACE ATSU,” the club added.

In the early hours of Saturday February 18, tributes have been pouring in over the demise of the former Chelsea and Newcastle player.

Christian Atsu was born in Ada Foah in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana on January 10, 1992.

In an earlier interview with Goal.com Christian Atsu revealed that money was hard to come by while growing up. He once said that losing his father in tragic circumstances made life even more difficult for his family.

Atsu in 2013, made it big when Chelsea came calling after he was identified as a long-term prospect.

Chelsea paid £3.5 million to FC Porto and signed Christian Atsu, who was subsequently loaned to Vitesse Arnhem, Everton, AFC Bournemouth, and Málaga.

Atsu after signing for Chelsea started enjoying the football money and at Newcastle, he was reportedly earning £32,000 weekly and which made him one of the richest Ghanaian footballers from 2016.

In September 2022, Christian Atsu joined Hatayspor as a free agent and reported taking close to $500,000 as a signing-on bonus.

MA/SARA