Fifa: Cardiff must pay Nantes six million euros for Sala

Cardiff City must pay Nantes six million euros ($6.54 million), the sum agreed as the first instalment for the transfer of Emiliano Sala who died in a plane crash on his way to the Welsh club, Fifa said on Monday.

After signing for Cardiff for 15 million pounds in January, Sala was travelling there from the French club when his plane crashed in the English Channel.

The body of the 28-year-old Argentine striker was recovered nearly three weeks later after an underwater search found the wreckage. Pilot David Ibbotson remains missing.

Cardiff City told to pay transfer fee of 6m euros (£5.3m) to Nantes for Emiliano Sala, the player who died in plane crash in January while travelling to join his new club https://t.co/SmRLo6MFrN

— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) September 30, 2019

"The Fifa Players' Status Committee established that Cardiff City FC must pay FC Nantes the sum of 6,000,000 euros, corresponding to the first instalment due in accordance with the transfer agreement," Fifa said in a statement.

The clubs were involved in a dispute over when the first instalment of the fee should be paid and Fifa began investigating Sala's transfer following a claim from the French club in February.

Both clubs were notified of the decision on Monday and Fifa said they could appeal against it to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Cardiff City ordered by FIFA to pay more than £5m in relation to Emiliano Sala signing https://t.co/cB9cH7sJL9 pic.twitter.com/seLiO1DkuX

— ITV Wales News (@ITVWales) September 30, 2019

Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman said at the time that the club would pay the transfer fee "if contractually obliged".