Leaked Messages Appear to Contradict Agents Claim That Cardiff Abandoned Emiliano Sala to Flight

​A series of leaked messages allegedly show Emiliano Sala rejected Cardiff City's offer of a commercial flight in favour of arranging his own flight.

The plane carrying Sala ultimately crashed on his way to join up with his new teammates in January, with the Argentine's body being recovered from the wreckage several days later.

The agent involved in the deal, Willie McKay, told the ​BBC that ​Cardiff had abandoned the former Nantes striker and forced him to arrange his own travel to the club. However, screenshots obtained by ​Ouest France reportedly show Cardiff's liaison officer offering a commercial flight to Sala. 

The messages allegedly show Cardiff's representative sharing the details of a flight from Paris to Cardiff, but Sala rejected the offer and insisted McKay had already arranged a plane.

Sala said: "Amigo. It's good. Willie McKay called me. I have a flight going to Nantes tomorrow and returning to Cardiff on Monday night."

This goes against McKay's previous claims that Cardiff did not help Sala. McKay claimed: "[Sala] was abandoned in a hotel more or less to do his travel arrangements himself. Nobody in Cardiff seemed to be doing anything. It was a bit embarrassing for Cardiff.

"They buy a player for £15m and then leave him in a hotel by himself to go on the computer and look for a flight - I think Cardiff let themselves down badly. The way they've acted so far, they've been a disgrace."

However, Cardiff have always strongly rejected these allegations, instead stating: "Our club was in the process of organising a commercial flight for Mr Sala until this offer was declined owing to separate arrangements being made - the planning and specifics of which Cardiff was not privy to.

"Cardiff has serious concerns over the potential unlawfulness of the journey following information that has been released. Clearly more answers as to the details surrounding this terrible tragedy are required."