Former Arsenal and Sevilla striker Jose Antonio Reyes dies in car crash, with Sergio Ramos, Thierry Henry among those to express shock
The 35-year-old spent three years in north London between 2004 and 2007
Former Arsenal forward Jose Antonio Reyes has died in a traffic accident, aged 35, Sevilla have confirmed.
The Spanish Liga side, where Reyes, began his career, tweeted the news on Saturday afternoon, saying: "We couldn't be confirming worse news. Beloved Sevilla star José Antonio Reyes has died in a traffic collision. Rest in peace."
Reyes was 20 when he moved to Arsenal in January 2004 in a deal worth £17.5m and in his third appearance for the club, scored twice to knock Chelsea out of the FA Cup, including a screamer from outside the box.
He was a member of the 'Invincible' side that remained unbeaten for the 2003/04 season and eventually moved back to Spain, initially on loan to Real Madrid in 2006, before joining Atletico Madrid permanently in 2007.
A statement from Arsenal read: "Everyone at Arsenal is devastated by the shocking news that our former player Jose Antonio Reyes has died in a traffic collision in Spain.
"Our thoughts are with all his family, friends and team-mates.
"Jose, who was part of the Invincibles team, was a hugely popular figure at our club and will always hold a special place in our hearts.
"He represented the club on 110 occasions, scoring 23 times and made memorable contributions to our 49-game unbeaten run.
"Rest in peace, Jose."
He joined Sevilla for a second stint in 2012 and remained there until 2016. Since then Reyes has played for Espanyol, Córdoba, Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard and, most recently, Extremadura.
His former team-mate, Sergio Ramos tweeted his shock: "Broken. Shattered. I have No words. All the affection to the family. We'll always remember you, buddy! Brother DEP," he wrote.
Thierry Henry, who played with him at Arsenal offered his condolences to Reyes' family.
He tweeted: "I’m devastated to hear the sad news about José Antonio Reyes. Wonderful player, superb team mate and exceptional human being. I wish his family and friends continued strength and courage to get through this difficult time."
