Former Premier League star Christian Atsu was found dead under the earthquake rubble in Turkey on Saturday, 12 days after he went missing, his agent confirmed.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce to all well wishers that sadly Christian Atsu’s body was recovered this morning. My deepest condolences go to his family and loved ones,” Nana Sechere tweeted.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their prayers and support. I ask that whilst we make the necessary arrangements, that everyone would please respect the privacy of the family during this very difficult time.”

Christian Atsu met Marie-Claire Rupio for the first time in Portugal in 2012 when he was 20 years old. They soon tied the knot.

“I met my wife in Portugal and you can see we have a beautiful family. We’ve been together for nine to ten years and I just love her,” Atsu said in an interview with TV3.

The couple then moved to Newcastle when he started playing for Newcastle United. They have three children.

In 2014, she showed support for her husband on Twitter.

“Atsuuuuuuuuu go vitesse,” she tweeted.

In 2021, Atsu posted a sweet birthday wish for his wife on his Facebook page.

“Happy Birthday to my lovely wife and the mother of our children. You make me happy and proud of the things we built together. I love you,” he wrote.

The earthquake struck Turkey on February 6, 2023. Speaking to BBC, Rupio revealed that she last spoke to her husband on February 4, a day before he scored his first goal for Turkey’s Hatayspor.