MX23RW : Wednesday, March 12 11:53:11| >> :600:170287:170287:

Cardiff City offer to meet Nantes over Emiliano Sala transfer dispute

Cardiff offer to meet Nantes over Sala transfer dispute
© Reuters
The 28-year-old striker was killed in a plane crash in the English Channel on January 21.

Cardiff want talks with Nantes to resolve their dispute over the £15million transfer of Emiliano Sala.

The two clubs have been in dispute since the 28-year-old striker died in a plane crash in the English Channel on January 21, two days after Cardiff had announced him as their record signing "subject to international clearance".

FIFA had originally ordered evidence to be submitted by Wednesday to adjudicate in the dispute.

Cardiff City v AFC Bournemouth – Premier League – Cardiff City Stadium
Tributes were laid outside Cardiff City Stadium following Sala's death in January (Mark Kerton/PA)

But world football's governing body has now granted an extension until April 15.

"Cardiff City has requested and been granted an extension to the deadline to respond to FIFA on this matter," said a club statement.

"Cardiff City recently wrote to FC Nantes proposing a meeting to discuss issues surrounding the Emiliano Sala tragedy and planned transfer, in line with Fifa's request for our two clubs to come to a resolution directly.

"To date, Cardiff City has not received a response from FC Nantes."

Cardiff City v AFC Bournemouth – Premier League – Cardiff City Stadium
Cardiff and Nantes have been in dispute over the £15million transfer (Mark Kerton/PA)

The Ligue 1 club lodged a complaint with FIFA over Cardiff's refusal to pay the first £5m instalment of the Sala transfer fee.

But FIFA president Gianni Infantino made it clear more than a month ago that they would prefer Cardiff and Nantes to resolve the dispute among themselves.

It is understood Sala's Cardiff contract was rejected by the Premier League because it contravened signing-on fee rules.

Sala died before a revised one could be signed and there is a dispute about whether he had agreed to do so before his death.

Gianni Infantino File Photo
FIFA president Infantino wants Cardiff and Nantes to resolve the Sala dispute themselves (Nick Potts/PA)

Press Association Sport reported last month that Cardiff also planned to tell FIFA that the non-fulfilment of legally-binding clauses in the transfer agreement they struck with Nantes for the player made the deal invalid.

Without these clauses being fulfilled, Cardiff say Sala was perfectly entitled to join another club with more than a week of the January transfer window remaining.

Cardiff had nothing to do with the plane on which Sala and pilot David Ibbotson were killed, saying the player had been offered a commercial flight to travel from France to Wales.

Weekend reports also suggested that Ibbotson was not qualified to fly at night, as he is thought to have been colour blind and his licence restricted him to flying only in daytime hours.

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Phil Blanche, Press Association Sport');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '6469cde3-8158-4774-b57c-605b4ce204a7');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:club-news,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk,paservice:sport:world');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Cardiff want meeting with Nantes to sort out Sala dispute'});

ID:355184: cacheID:355184:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:8110:
Written by
P A
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Nantes pay tribute to Emiliano Sala on January 30, 2019
Read Next:
McKay claims he and his son have been made scapegoats over Sala plane crash
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd37247652282477
2Leeds UnitedLeeds362210472234976
3Burnley372015250113975
4Sunderland371912655342169
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom371317747331456
6Coventry CityCoventry37168135248456
7Bristol City37131594740754
8Middlesbrough37158145748953
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn36157144137452
10Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds37149145358-551
11Norwich CityNorwich371213125952749
12Watford36147154650-449
13Millwall361212123637-148
14Queens Park RangersQPR371111154248-644
15Preston North EndPreston37917113743-644
16Swansea CitySwansea36128163846-844
17Portsmouth36119164457-1342
18Oxford UnitedOxford Utd36912153753-1639
19Hull City36910173645-937
20Stoke CityStoke36812163650-1436
21Cardiff CityCardiff37812174061-2136
22Derby CountyDerby3798203749-1235
23Luton TownLuton3797213460-2634
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth36612183673-3730


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!