‘Now pay for Sala’

NANTES sent a payment demand to Cardiff for Emiliano Sala 24 hours after cushions from his ill-fated plane washed up on a Normandy beach.

The whereabouts of the plane flying £15million signing Sala, below, to Cardiff on January 21 was unknown when the club received an email last Thursday insisting the first instalment of the deal be paid.

That was followed on Tuesday with a letter threatening legal action if £5m was not paid within 10 days, written shortly after wreckage of the plane was found by an underwater search with a body clearly visible. Identification has not been possible due to poor weather, with pilot David Ibbotson also missing.

Cardiff say they fully intend to honour their obligations but have held back payments during the search mission. They are also keen to know

the facts of the plane’s ownership as they had offered Sala a trip on a commercial airline.

But privately they are surprised at Nantes’ stance given solidarity had developed between the clubs during the tragedy’s aftermath.

The £15m deal was a club record for Cardiff and payment had been structured over three years. Half of the money is understood to be a sell-on fee to Sala’s former club Bordeaux.

Cardiff’s lawyers have asked for more time while investigations take place. The club have a policy of insuring players for £16m and it is understood Sala was included in the scheme on the morning of his flight – his first working day after the transfer.

An attempt to recover the body began on Tuesday but conditions have made progress slow. An Air Accidents Investigation Branch spokesperson said: “We are attempting to recover the body. If we are successful, we will consider the feasibility of recovering the aircraft wreckage.”