Emiliano Sala: Nantes demand transfer fee from Cardiff City

French club Nantes have demanded payment from Cardiff City over
the £15m transfer of Emiliano Sala, BBC Wales has learned.

Sala, along with pilot David Ibbotson, was on board the Piper
Malibu N264DB which lost radar contact near Guernsey on 21
January.

The Argentine striker, 28, was Premier League club Cardiff’s
record signing.

Cardiff have withheld the first scheduled payment until they are
satisfied with the documentation.

BBC Wales has learned the transfer fee is due to be paid in
instalments over three years.

It is understood Nantes are threatening legal action if they do
not receive a payment within 10 days. The BBC has attempted to
speak to Nantes for comment.

A source at Cardiff says they will honour the contract but not
until they have clarified “all the facts”.

It is unclear whether or not the club have insurance covering
the cost of the transfer.

And Cardiff are “surprised” Nantes have made the demand
while attempts are being made to
recover a body^[1] from the plane that
was carrying Sala and Ibbotson.

The body was seen^[2] in the Piper Malibu
on Monday, two weeks after the plane vanished near Guernsey.

French club Bordeaux are also entitled to a cut of the fee,
thought to be 50% – Sala was on their books from 2012 to 2015
before joining Nantes.

The plane carrying Sala and Ibbotson, from Crowle, Lincolnshire,
disappeared en route to Cardiff after the footballer returned to
Nantes to say goodbye to his former team-mates.

Culled from BBC