According to a report by L’Équipe, agent Mark McKay has allegedly earned a commission of €1.7 million from FC Nantes for the 2019 transfer of Emiliano Sala to Cardiff City.
Sala tragically died in 2019 in a plane crash off the coast of Guernsey while he was en route from Nantes to Cardiff. The Argentine had signed a contract which finalised his move to the Welsh club two days before travelling. Cardiff had challenged the legality of this contract before FIFA and CAS but had their claims dismissed.
L’Équipe alleges that McKay invoiced the club about his commission two years ago, with the agent having previously agreed to an “exclusive mandate” with Nantes’ chairman Waldemar Kita for the sale of the player – this mandate ran from the 21st of November 2018 until the 2nd of February 2019.
The total amount that was allegedly requested by McKay was €1.785 million which corresponds to about 10% of the €17 million transfer fee that was agreed upon at the time. The French outlet claims that Nantes had no legal recourse to oppose paying the commission, but they did delay payment until after they were certain they had received the final of their three instalments from Cardiff.
The paper further claims that Nantes did not pay McKay the €85,000 he allegedly requested as a late fee. Nantes did not respond to L’Équipe’s request for comment, while McKay’s legal representative told the French paper that they were unable to help with their request.
