Ethan Ampadu has never been married. His only publicly known relationship was with Saara Sa, a Turkish woman with whom he shares a son. The two separated in late 2024, and throughout their relationship their private life was known to almost nobody outside his immediate circle.
On 5 April 2025, Ampadu placed a shirt and flowers at Kenilworth Road before Leeds’ Championship match at Luton Town, marking the 25th anniversary of the murders of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight. The two Leeds supporters were killed in Istanbul before a UEFA Cup semi-final against Galatasaray in 2000. Forty days after that tribute, a photograph of his son wearing a Galatasaray shirt appeared on social media. His private life has not been quite the same since.
Table of Contents
Is Ethan Ampadu Married?
Ethan Ampadu is not married and has never been married. No engagement has ever been reported. Leeds United’s club statement in May 2025 was the first time his relationship with Saara Sa was publicly confirmed.
Who Is Saara Sa?
Saara Sa is a Turkish woman who was in a long-term relationship with Ampadu. She goes by Serra on X, where her handle is @serrasaa.
She is a private individual with no publicly confirmed profession. What is established comes from her own statements and reporting by major sports publications:
- Turkish nationality, confirmed in her own words
- Her family have long supported Galatasaray
- One son with Ampadu, referred to publicly as Baby Ampaa
Ampadu never publicly acknowledged the relationship while it was ongoing.
The Galatasaray Shirt That Put His Personal Life on the Back Pages
Leeds United and Galatasaray carry one of the most painful histories in English football. In April 2000, supporters Christopher Loftus (37) and Kevin Speight (40) were murdered in Istanbul on the eve of a UEFA Cup semi-final against the Turkish club. That grief has stayed close to the surface at Elland Road for 25 years.
Ampadu has never treated that history as background noise. On 5 April 2025, the 25th anniversary of the killings, he placed a shirt and flowers in front of the away end at Kenilworth Road before Leeds’ match at Luton Town. In his captain’s matchday programme, he wrote:
“We will always remember Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight, who were devastatingly taken from us on 5 April 2000. As a captain, I want to continue sending love and support from the team to the friends and families of Chris and Kev.”
On 15 May 2025, Saara Sa posted a photograph of their son in a Galatasaray shirt on X, tagged Ampadu and captioned it “Baby Ampaa @ethanamp26 🥹🤍.” Some Leeds fans called for Ampadu to be stripped of the captaincy. Leeds gave him their full backing.
How It Unfolded
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 5 April 2025 | Ampadu pays tribute to Loftus and Speight at Kenilworth Road, 25th anniversary |
| 21 April 2025 | Leeds United confirmed promoted to the Premier League |
| 3 May 2025 | Leeds win the Championship title on the final day at Plymouth Argyle |
| 5 May 2025 | Championship title parade through Leeds city centre, 150,000+ fans |
| 15 May 2025 | Saara Sa posts son in Galatasaray shirt on X |
| 16 May 2025 | Leeds United publish official club statement |
| 16 May 2025 | Saara Sa responds via Instagram, disputes Leeds’ account |
Leeds United’s official statement, published 16 May 2025:
“Leeds United are aware of an image circulating online of Ethan Ampadu’s son. Ethan separated from his partner several months ago and has no responsibility for the image in question. Ethan is aware of and sensitive to the tragic loss within the Loftus and Speight families. The club asks for Ethan’s privacy to be respected in what is a difficult time for him personally. Our captain has been a leader on and off the pitch this season, demonstrating his commitment to the club, its history, and the broader Leeds community. Ethan has the full support of everybody at Leeds United. The club will be making no further comment.”
Saara Sa responded the same day via Instagram:
“My condolences are with the families of the two people who passed away in Istanbul. I am Turkish and our son is part Turkish. Galatasaray is my family’s supporting home team and has been for years. We are the parents of our child and Ethan was aware of the photo. I would appreciate if Leeds United football club would not portray a false narrative by making a statement stating lies.”
Leeds said Ampadu had no involvement in the post. Saara Sa said he was fully aware of it and called the club’s statement a false narrative. Ampadu has not addressed the dispute publicly.
The Split
Leeds United confirmed the two had separated “several months” before 16 May 2025, placing the split in late 2024 or early 2025. A photograph published by The Telegraph showed both parents with their son at the Championship promotion celebrations in spring 2025, consistent with the co-parenting arrangement Saara Sa later confirmed directly: “We co-parent our child.”
As of June 2026, Ampadu has no confirmed new relationship. Contract talks with Leeds are ongoing following the club’s Premier League survival in 2025-26.
Who Is Ethan Ampadu?
| Full Name | Ethan Kwame Colm Raymond Ampadu |
| Born | 14 September 2000, Exeter, England |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Club | Leeds United |
| Position | Defensive Midfielder / Centre-Back |
| Wales Caps | 59 (as of November 2025) |
| Weekly Wage | £40,000 |
| Contract | Expires June 2027 |
| Transfer to Leeds | £8.1 million from Chelsea, July 2023 |
The Wales international signed permanently for Leeds from Chelsea in July 2023 following loan spells at RB Leipzig, Sheffield United, Venezia, and Spezia. He captained the club through their 2024-25 Championship title win and back into the Premier League. At international level, he made his senior Wales debut at 17 in November 2017 and has since represented his country at UEFA Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
His father, Kwame Ampadu, played professionally for Arsenal, Swansea City, Leyton Orient, and Exeter City and is currently an assistant manager at Celtic. His mother, Wendy, is Welsh, which is why Ampadu represents Wales internationally despite being born in Exeter, England.
Ampadu has said nothing about his personal life since May 2025. The 40 days between Kenilworth Road and Saara Sa’s tweet revealed more about it than he had shared across his entire professional career.
