Ecuadorian striker Christian 'Chucho' Benitez has died, aged 27.
The forward spent the 2009-10 season on loan at Birmingham City, and was linked with a move back to the Premier League this summer but ended up moving to Qatar to join El Jaish.
He made his debut for the club last night, but was admitted to hospital with stomach pains shortly after.
He was diagnosed with appendicitis, but - according to his father-in-law Cleber Chala who spoke on Ecuadorian radio - this developed into peritonitis and complications led to a respiratory arrest.
"They called me at 3am to tell me that they had taken him to hospital as an emergency due to stomach pains.
"When he arrived, he was not seen to quickly.
"By the time he was admitted he was no longer responding. This happened in Qatar, my daughter is alone there."
Chala then tweeted: "A great has left us... You will live in our hearts forever Chucho."
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Brings it home, I am the same age and nowhere near as fit.
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