A major search and rescue operation is underway after Atsu, 31, who formerly played for Chelsea and Newcastle United, was caught up in the 7.7 magnitude earthquake.
Former Premier League footballer Christian Atsu is amongst those trapped under rubble in Turkey after a massive earthquake, reports have claimed.
He spent time at Everton and Bournemouth before making a permanent switch to Newcastle United in 2017 having never played a Premier League game for Chelsea. He left the Magpies having played over 100 games in 2021 to join Saudi side Al-Raed but departed the Middle East for Turkey in the summer. The wife of Hatayspor manager Volkan Demirel shared a tearful message after a massive aftershock with a magnitude of 7.5 hit Turkey's south hours after the original quake. "Hatay is in a very bad way," Zeynep Sever Demirel said in a video shared on social media.
A number of wrestlers are also believed to be trapped, according to Birgun. Taha Akgul, an Olympic champion wrestler from Turkey, has called for help amid suggestions that between 30 and 40 of the athletes have been affected.