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By Peter Akinbo with Agency report.
There’s been an outpouring of grief following confirmation of Christian Atsu’s death.
John Terry led tributes to the former Chelsea and Newcastle United winger Atsu, who was confirmed to have died in the earthquakes that hit Turkey earlier this month.
Atsu was reported to be missing in the immediate aftermath of the tremors that struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6.
The former Ghana international joined Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor last September and scored for the side the day before the earthquakes.
After the tremors caused the collapse of the apartment block in which Atsu was living, his club initially said he had been recovered from the rubble and hospitalised, but that was later confirmed to not be the case.
The Nigeria Football Federation sent their condolences, “We are sending our deepest condolences to the family of Ghanaian international Christian Atsu, his friends and our brothers the Ghana FA,” read a statement shared by the Nigerian Football Federation. “May his soul rest in peace.”
It was a touching tribute from the NFF considering the sporting and cultural rivalry between the two West African nations.
Terry who was a team-mate of Atsu’s during the Ghanaian’s four-year spell at Chelsea, for whom he did not make a competitive appearance – paid tribute on social media.
“RIP my friend,” the former England captain wrote on Twitter, alongside an image of Atsu.
Atsu’s former clubs also expressed their condolences on Saturday, with Chelsea saying his death caused “enormous sadness” and Newcastle calling him: “A talented player and a special person, he will always be fondly remembered by our players, staff and supporters.”
Other former team-mates paid tribute on Instagram, with Cesc Fabregas calling his death “heart-breaking” and Michael Essien saying: “Rest well king”.
“This was not the news we were expecting bro but God knows best,” wrote ex-Ghana skipper Stephen Appiah.
“My condolences to the widow and family of our brother Christian Atsu,” he added. “May he find rest. We will miss you.”
Another Black Stars great, Dede Ayew, played alongside Atsu, and wrote a particularly poignant tribute to his fallen teammate.
“I’m totally devastated,” Ayew wrote. “Christian was a good and genuine guy, a selfless individual who put smiles on our faces and the many people who encountered him.
“This has really hit me because this was not what I was hoping for. My prayer was that you would be found; but certainly not this way.”
Ayew and Atsu were part of the Ghana side that reached the Africa Cup of Nations final in 2015.
Bournemouth, where Atsu spent the first half of the 2015-16 season on loan, joined Chelsea and Newcastle in paying tribute to Atsu during their Saturday’s Premier League games.
Players from all three clubs wore commemorative black armbands for their respective fixtures, while Chelsea held a minute’s applause ahead of their meeting with Southampton, and Newcastle and Liverpool observed a minute’s silence before their clash at St James’ Park.