Cardiff to pay 5.3 Million for Sala

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Originally Posted by Pedro de la Rosa

On the contrary, I think they've done the right thing. They've kept quiet and handed it to the insurers etc. Nantes have kicked up a fuss but this ruling shows the transfer wasn't finalised. It's horrible but the club did offer a sum to draw a line under it and Nantes refused. I'm not sure what the club could have done but we're not in a position to just throw away £10m.

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Agree. Clearly the most important thing here was the tragic death of two people, but that a dispute over £10m was related to it does not diminish the importance of £10m.

What strikes me as slightly odd, is that the decision seems to represent a middle-ground when I didn't think such a thing was possible. We either signed him or we didn't, it feels kinda binary to me.

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Originally Posted by Optimistic Nick

Agree. Clearly the most important thing here was the tragic death of two people, but that a dispute over £10m was related to it does not diminish the importance of £10m.

What strikes me as slightly odd, is that the decision seems to represent a middle-ground when I didn't think such a thing was possible. We either signed him or we didn't, it feels kinda binary to me.

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Not sure that’s the case. Only the initial payment is currently overdue as far as I’m aware so that’s possibly the only payment Nantes could claim against at this stage. Possibly, it’s not very clear.

The FIFA quote taken from the FIFA website (no press interpretation)

In a meeting held on 25 September 2019, the FIFA Players’ Status Committee established that Cardiff City FC must pay FC Nantes the sum of EUR 6,000,000, corresponding to the first instalment due in accordance with the transfer agreement concluded between the parties on 19 January 2019 for the transfer of the late Emiliano Sala from FC Nantes to Cardiff City FC.

The FIFA Players’ Status Committee, which never lost sight of the specific and unique circumstances of this tragic situation during its deliberations on the dispute at stake, refrained from imposing procedural costs on the parties.

The findings of the decision were notified to the parties concerned today. Within a deadline of ten days, Cardiff City FC and FC Nantes can request a copy of the grounds of the decision, which can be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.

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Originally Posted by Baloo

Not sure that’s the case. Only the initial payment is currently overdue as far as I’m aware so that’s possibly the only payment Nantes could claim against at this stage. Possibly, it’s not very clear.

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I see. I took it to mean that 5 mil was the totality of what they were getting. But then I don't pretend to have read it in any detail. Your version makes more sense

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

Kept quiet? You're joking, right?

I've no idea whether City are legally obliged to pay the fee or not, but one thing the club hasn't done is kept quiet. Indeed, rather than keep quiet as they should have done, they've made a series of unnecessary statements about the situation as it has developed.

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I agree some of the comments/statements seem unnecessary but again I would be very surprised if they were not made on advice from insurers or briefs, to get a repsonse out in the public domain for later.
Even if the statement might be made without being directly advised, the lawyers etc would shirley have scrutinised the wording to make it legally 'safe'.

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Originally Posted by jon1959

Good - I hope someone clarifies the statement.

Does it mean the full £15m is due to Nantes in 3 instalments, or just the first instalment? Most of the 'news stories' refer only to the initial £5.3m (6m Euros) but surely it must be all or nothing - not just a part payment. Either the transfer was complete or it wasn't?

In either case what was the FIFA judgement based on - and what is their response to the submissions made by both clubs?

Will the insurers (for whichever club is liable) be led by a FIFA committee judgement - or will it have to go back around the lawyers?

It is all ugly and disrespectful - but unavoidable I expect. As others have said, I hope whatever the outcome between Cardiff and Nantes, Sala's family and home townl club are looked after.

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i not sure where i heard it but i think it was mentioned that his family had something along those lines months ago. I hope this true.

The quotes from the clubs would suggest that Nantes thinks this means that they are due the full amount whereas we seem less sure.

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Originally Posted by Optimistic Nick

The quotes from the clubs would suggest that Nantes thinks this means that they are due the full amount whereas we seem less sure.

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I read it and was quite surprised to come on here and see people think this meant that a compromise had been found and the first instalment was all we would pay.

My first impression was FIFA have said we have to pay the first instalment as the date has gone for that- then we will have to pay the 2nd and 3rd instalments aswell. Then it is for us to work it out with the insurers if we get anything back or not. That seems fair to me.

https://twitter.com/martynziegler/st...245472769?s=21 He reads it the same way as me- it’s the full £15 million or so we have to cough up.

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Originally Posted by chris lee

It is a shame to hear this may not be the end of the situation.

When I first heard the news earlier, my first thoughts where it sounded like a common sense decision. Both clubs had valid perspectives on the situation, it was a tough situation that no one would walk away happy from, 5.3 million looked to be on the surface a good compromise position for me put forward by the committee.

There is a saying in business; the best settlements is when nobody is 100% happy.
5.3m sounded like a sensible ruling, I still hope that is the FINAL decision as I fell it is one both sets of clubs and fans can sallow.

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It may be common sense but FIFA couldn’t make a compromise solution. Either we owe the money or we don’t. Either he was registered as ours or he wasn’t.

Then the insurers will have their own view.


FIFA can’t say “we can’t decide so just give them some money and we’ll never speak of this again.” The clubs could do that independently but when it gets to this level ultimately someone has to win and someone has to lose.

as posted earlier in the thread, just goes to show that players really are just a commodity these days , how very sad

The reason the club will want clarification is that the matter will not be in their hands.

Once a claim arises the club loses control of affairs. The insurers call all the shots. That's how it works.

Cardiff are insured. The insurers take over. The insurers decide whether to fight a claim not the club.

This is a tragic case but one worth studying.

Cardiff cannot just pay up even if they want to.
Of course if the insurance company (underwriting syndicate) say the club are not covered that's a different matter.

This case has ramifications for all clubs. The situation will reoccur in different circumstances.

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Originally Posted by blue matt

as posted earlier in the thread, just goes to show that players really are just a commodity these days , how very sad

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Surely if we were liable for the whole fee then that’s what uefa would have decided, it wouldn’t just be one instalment now and then another 10 million to follow? It’s long overdue anyway, so surely they would have said 15 million if 15 million was due. What a mess, should have just given all the cash to his family. Surely someone is insured?

So typically FIFA, they make a decision and nobody's sure what it is.

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Originally Posted by goats

Surely if we were liable for the whole fee then that’s what uefa would have decided, it wouldn’t just be one instalment now and then another 10 million to follow? It’s long overdue anyway, so surely they would have said 15 million if 15 million was due. What a mess, should have just given all the cash to his family. Surely someone is insured?

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Apparently Nantes paid €1m for Sala.
We also know they purposely delayed the agreement as they “played” City for more money.
You can’t have it both ways. If we had selected and played Sala as soon as the flight landed FIFA would have hit us with a large fine for playing an illegible player.
City should pay something but Nantes should not receive 100% of the original fee.
I would like to see Sala’s family and charity get something.

The club are asking for clarification on a statement? I find it hard to believe the first the club knew of the decision was the statement, and if it is then fifa just keep on giving.

It's a shit show, most clubs couldn't afford to just take a hit of 15m for a player who didn't kick a ball for them but all those clubs fans will demand we should, including near neighbours who have been happy when their clubs have scammed local businesses.

I wish we could have but appreciate we can't, particularly if there are valid reasons.

The club was never coming out of this well. I don't think nantes have at all acted well either. Salas family have been through so much yet keep their dignity. It's such a shame that for them this will drag on a while longer.

The one thing we do know, is that if we do end up paying in full, Tan will go after McKay.

I have always felt that Cardiff have held back their transfers in the close season based on the outcome of this unfortunate enquiry.
They now have to decide to take out through the courts at an additional legislative costs of pay up.

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Originally Posted by delmbox

I understand why you see it that way and there is a financial logic to it, it's just after all the "once a bluebird, always a bluebird" and posing with the shirt etc it's pretty gross to see two clubs arguing the smallprint of a "commodity" and I wish we'd paid the fee that we were committed to paying. Or even better paid most and of it and donated a part of it to his family.

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As harsh as this sounds it’s business, and at the end of the day if he wasn’t our player then we shouldn’t pay. Harsh but true.

I’m sure his family will get money.

Why do you wish we’d paid it? So we don’t look bad? Not often anyone leaves these situations looking good, both sides had valid arguments. It is what it is.

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Originally Posted by mrbluejay

The one thing we do know, is that if we do end up paying in full, Tan will go after McKay.

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And willy apparently said he will kill everyone at the club if his boys get brought up into it

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

Kept quiet? You're joking, right?

I've no idea whether City are legally obliged to pay the fee or not, but one thing the club hasn't done is kept quiet. Indeed, rather than keep quiet as they should have done, they've made a series of unnecessary statements about the situation as it has developed.

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I can't remember every statement made by the club but my recollection was that they have been fairly restrained. They have normally only made a press statement when news stories or widespread public speculation demanded some sort of response.

The three main messages that have come out of the club since the tragedy are: shock and grief at the deaths and concern for the families; a need to totally overhaul the way the private jet system works and calling for more controls and regulation; and finally on the fee - the club needed to understand the legal/contractual position better but would pay what it was required to pay once that had been resolved.

The club get things wrong, but not so much in recent years. On this I think they have got it mostly right.

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Originally Posted by Father Dougal

And willy apparently said he will kill everyone at the club if his boys get brought up into it

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Everyone????? Are we fans safe? This could get messy!

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Originally Posted by Trigger

The club was never coming out of this well. I don't think nantes have at all acted well either.

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Why not? What have Nantes done wrong?

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Originally Posted by mrbluejay

The one thing we do know, is that if we do end up paying in full, Tan will go after McKay.

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What’s Malky done now?

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Originally Posted by jon1959

I can't remember every statement made by the club but my recollection was that they have been fairly restrained. They have normally only made a press statement when news stories or widespread public speculation demanded some sort of response.

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You think really this statement was necessary?

https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news...tement-2502192

Or the one quoted here?

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...t-out-16054313

What value do such statements have?