Sala Feared Dead

By Max Wise

Cardiff City’s new £15m record signing Emiliano Sala is feared dead after a plane he was travelling in went missing.

It is feared the Argentine striker was one of two people on board the Piper Malibu, which went missing off Alderney in the Channel Islands on Monday night.

Sala has yet to kick a ball for the club after joining from French side Nantes last week.

The 28-year-old Argentine has been in fine form this season, scoring 13 goals in all competitions, with only PSG’s Kylian Mbappe and Lille’s Nicolas Pepe having more goals than him.

Cardiff City are battling relegation in the English Premier League and Sala’s signing was supposed to provide them with the needed cutting edge for their blunt attack.

The Welsh club is yet to confirm the incident, but chairman Mehmet Dalman said today: “We are very concerned by the latest news that a light aircraft lost contact over the Channel last night."

"We are awaiting confirmation before we can say anything further. We are very concerned about the safety of Emiliano Sala."

In a statement, Guernsey Police said: "Guernsey Coastguard received an alert at 20:23 from Jersey ATC, that a light aircraft had gone off their radar approximately 15 miles north of Guernsey, initiating a major search and rescue operation involving both St Peter Port and Alderney lifeboats. Air Search 1 and 2 HM Coastguard helicopters are also involved in the search."

"The PA 46 Malibu, a single turbine engine aircraft was en route from Nantes in France, to Cardiff in Wales, with two people on board when it was lost off the radar as Jersey ATC was attempting to make contact."

Sala had travelled back to France to bid farewell to former teammates at Nantes and was expected to start training with Cardiff on Tuesday