Emiliano Sala: Reaction as Cardiff's record signing goes missing

Summary

Plane carrying Cardiff's record signing Emiliano Sala goes missing
Argentine striker completed a move from French club Nantes on Saturday
The 28-year-old was flying to Wales after saying goodbye to his former team-mates
A number of floating objects have been spotted in the water
Search suspended for the night, Guernsey Police confirm

Live Reporting

Laura Savvas

'Hoping for some positive news'published at 16:29 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
West Ham right-back and fellow Argentine Pablo Zabaleta shared a message of support on Twitter, adding his thoughts are with Sala, the pilot, their families and Cardiff.
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Nantes Facebook tributepublished at 16:23 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
Nantes have recently changed their profile picture to reflect a solemn time for the French club.
Hundreds of comments have been left on the poignant post.
Image source, FACEBOOK
Police update - search area revealedpublished at 16:19 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
Guernsey Police have released a further update, detailing the vast search area.
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Nantes game rearranged for Sundaypublished at 16:14 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
Nantes' French Cup game away to third-tier side Entente SSG, which was due to be played tomorrow night, has been rearranged for Sunday, 27 January.
Here's a statement, external on Entente's club website.
They also tweeted that they 'bring all their support to FC Nantes and to his family.'
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Postpublished at 16:07 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
Nantes have also called for supporters to attend a rally tonight, from 18:30 at the Place Royale in Nantes, and "drop a yellow tulip at the foot of the fountain".
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'Pray for Sala'published at 15:58 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
Nantes have recently tweeted this, which translates as: "The management and the whole club are hopeful and it is the whole family of FC Nantes who prays that Emiliano Sala and the other passengers of the plane are finally found safe and sound."
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Police update - 'Still searching'published at 15:51 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
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get involved
Get Involvedpublished at 15:42 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
#bbcfootball or text 81111 (UK only)
Sam Ludlow: Having been a big part of the Nantes supporters I had the privilege to meet Sala a number of times. Great person and hoping for the best for everyone involved in his life.
Aleksander Pagels: Such a shame that the 2018-2019 season will most likely be remembered for the Leicester helicopter crash and now this. All thoughts are with Nantes and Cardiff.
'I'm desperate' - Emiliano's fatherpublished at 15:35 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
Our news story has been developing through the day and now features some comments from Emiliano Sala's father, Horacio.
He told Argentine TV channel C5N, he heard the news from a friend.
"I didn't know anything. I couldn't believe it," he said. "I'm desperate. I hope everything goes well."
'The last goodbye'published at 15:28 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
Sala then returned to Nantes to say goodbye to the club and his team-mates.
Nantes and Sala tweeted this picture of the Argentine with the rest of the squad yesterday, before he boarded the flight which has gone missing.
The text translates as 'the last goodbye'.
Image source, Twitter
'I will not forget' - Salapublished at 15:23 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
Emiliano tweeted this over the weekend while he was in Cardiff to complete the deal.
Image source, Twitter
Born in Argentina, made in Francepublished at 15:18 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
Even after finalising his move to Cardiff, Emiliano Sala was relatively unknown to British football fans.
Here's a rundown on the man who was born in Argentina but made in France.
Floral tributes start to appearpublished at 15:12 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
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The floral tributes have started arriving at the Cardiff City Stadium
Image source, BBC Sport
Image source, BBC Sport
Sala was Cardiff's record signingpublished at 15:06 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
Cardiff completed the signing of Emiliano Sala on Saturday for an undisclosed fee.
However, it was confirmed that the amount was more than the previous club record of £11m which the Bluebirds paid for Chile international Gary Medel in 2013.
Sala timelinepublished at 15:00 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
The first many British football fans will have heard of Emiliano Sala was on Wednesday, 5 December, when Cardiff manager Neil Warnock confirmed an interest in signing the Argentine striker from Nantes.
Here's how the deal developed, leading right through to the disappearance of the plane which was carrying Sala back to the UK last night.
Postpublished at 14:53 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
For those of you who are just hearing about today's sad news, here's a quick recap...
Media caption,
Cardiff City footballer Emiliano Sala on missing plane
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Get Involvedpublished at 14:48 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
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Sulaimon Adelekan: I was excited about Sala's move to England and I wanted to watch him play and score. I am praying for a miracle.
Postpublished at 14:42 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
Leicester City
If any club knows what Cardiff are going through right now...
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Postpublished at 14:38 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
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Get Involvedpublished at 14:34 Greenwich Mean Time 22 January 2019
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Have followed FC Nantes since living there in 2003; Sala is a hard working player with a keen eye for goal; almost a perfect Neil Warnock player. It was gutting enough to see him leave and Nantes risk plummeting down the league, but to hear the latest news is extremely sad. So hope he and the others can be safely found.
Paul Cooper