Just 3 days after he signed for Premier League club Cardiff city, Emiliano Sala was on a lightweight craft which disappeared on Monday night, French authorities have confirmed.
Just 3 days after he signed for Premier League club Cardiff city, Emiliano Sala was on a lightweight craft which disappeared on Monday night, French authorities have confirmed.
He was one of 2 people on board the Piper Malibu, that went missing off Alderney in the Channel Islands.
Emiliano Sala was born in Santa Fe, Argentina - but it's in France that he has forged his name.
Among the top 5 goalscorers in Ligue one this season, Sala has netted 12 times at better than a goal every 2 games.
That prompted Cardiff to pay Nantes a club record £15m for a man who has spent his entire skilled career in the French leagues.
Sala was born on 31 October 1990 in the small rural community of Cululu within the state capital province, about 340 miles north west of Buenos Aires.
After progressing through the youth set-up at Argentine facet Club Proyecto Crecer, he moved to France to sign for Bordeaux.
But after making his debut as a 21-year-old, he struggled for game time and a series of loan moves followed.
He spent the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons at us Orleans and Niort respectively, scoring 37 goals in 74 matches.
When he took that goalscoring type into a loan spell with Caen in 2015, Nantes had seen enough - and bought the 6ft 3in striker for a reported one million euros.
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Cardiff called off training
Ken Choo, Cardiff City's executive director and CEO, has just issued this statement on the club website:"We were very shocked upon hearing the news that the plane had gone missing. We expected Emiliano to arrive last night into Cardiff and today was due to be his first day with the team.
"Our owner, Tan Sri Vincent Tan, and chairman, Mehmet Dalman, are all very distressed about the situation.
"We made the decision first thing this morning to call off training with the thoughts of the squad, management staff and the entire club with Emiliano and the pilot.
"All of us at Cardiff City FC would like to thank our fans, and the entire footballing family, for their support at this difficult time.
"We continue to pray for positive news."
Former team-mate prays for Sala
Another former Bordeaux team-mate Diego Rolan, who is currently on loan at Leganes from Deportivo La Coruna, tweeted this...
The Uruguayan striker prays for Sala to 'appear', adding 'God in command'.
Nantes
Nantes have already confirmed that their next game, which was due to be played tomorrow, has been postponed.
Cardiff were knocked out of the FA Cup by Gillingham so aren't playing in the fourth round this weekend.
The Bluebirds' next game is therefore due to be a Premier League match at Arsenal next Tuesday, 29 January.
'Your first thoughts are for his family'
More fan reaction now from the Cardiff City Stadium.
"I couldn't believe it," said Frank Humphreys, 71, of Canton, Cardiff. "Your first thoughts are for his family but this could totally alter Cardiff's season.
"You couldn't write a script like it. It must have taken a lot of convincing for him to come and it was a huge signing for the club but now we'll never get to see him."
Police update - 'Visibility now deteriorating'
Three and a half years - and 42 goals later - came Premier League interest.
West Ham, Everton, Leicester, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Southampton were all linked with Sala, but it was cardiff who got their man - eclipsing the £11m they paid for Gary Medel to sign him.
When his signing was declared, Sala said: "It gives me great pleasure and i can't wait to start training, meet my new team-mates and get down to work."
In a later tweet, he wrote: "I know the challenge is huge, but together we will make it."
Two days later he posted his most recent tweet - a picture of him and his former Nantes team-mates. it was captioned "ciao".
Manchester city
Manchester City held a news conference today before the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Burton, during which manager Pep Guardiola was asked about today's news.
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