10 February 2023 , 11:50
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Eddie Howe says the thoughts of everyone at Newcastle are with the club’s former player, Christian Atsu, who is still missing after being caught up in the earthquake which devastated Turkey and Syria.
Atsu plays for Hatayspor in Turkey after a prolonged spell in England with clubs including Newcastle. He was in an 11-story building when the 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck on Monday morning, causing devastation in the area. The quake is now known to have killed at least 21,000 people in south-east Turkey and northern Syria.
The 31-year-old is still yet to be located, despite conflicting reports that he had been found. Atsu made 121 appearances for Newcastle between 2016 and 2021 and also spent a season playing under Howe while on loan at Bournemouth.
Speaking in his press conference ahead of Newcastle’s Premier League game against his former club Bournemouth on Saturday, Howe sent a message out to Atsu. “Hugely worrying. Really enjoyed working with Christian. Great lad, great player,” he said.
“Our thoughts are with him and his family. We hope for some good news and hope he's OK. We’ve been really concerned for him and his welfare this week.
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“It’s been difficult. There have been conflicting stories on his whereabouts so it’s been tough. I can’t imagine what it’s been like for his family. But from the bottom of our hearts we wish him well and hope there’s a positive ending.”
Turkey and Syria have been devastated by the earthquake (AFP via Getty Images)Earlier this week Atsu’s agent, Nana Sechere, told The Mirror about the winger’s movements before the earthquake struck. “The last I heard from him was at midnight on Sunday,” he explained. “Christian and his team-mates were playing poker until 3:30am at a friend's apartment.
“The journey back to his apartment was around half an hour. He returned at 4am and the earthquake started around 20 minutes later. I didn’t know anything until I received a call from a club official at 5am asking if I’d heard from Christian. He told me Christian’s building had been completely destroyed and that they couldn’t get hold of him.
Christian Atsu played for Newcastle between 2016 and 2021 (PA)“I was hoping he was awake and that the earthquake hadn’t happened while he was sleeping. He was in an 11-storey building and he was on the ninth floor. The club officials were trying to help me find him but it was so hard because, understandably, they were trying to find their own friends and families as well.”
Atsu joined Turkish Super Lig side Hatayspor in September 2022 after spending nearly a decade at Chelsea and Newcastle. He played on loan for Vitesse, Everton, Bournemouth and Malaga while at Chelsea before joining Newcastle on a permanent deal in 2017.
After four years with the Magpies he moved to Al Raed in Saudi Arabia before his transfer to Hatayspor. He scored a 97th-minute winner against Kasimpasa on Sunday – his first goal for the club.