Cardiff City are suing football agent Willie McKay in order to gain information about his involvement in the Emiliano Sala transfer in 2019.
Sala was due to complete a club record move to Cardiff from Nantes during the January transfer window that year but tragically died after his private plane crashed over the English Channel.
Sky Sports News has previously reported that McKay and his son arranged the private plane for Sala.
In June 2023, Cardiff launched legal proceedings against Nantes in France, where they are seeking damages for the transfer.
According to a source close to the case, Cardiff also argue that they would have avoided relegation if Sala had played for the club and are seeking damages for losses in revenue from the relegation.
As part of the proceedings in France, Nantes claim that McKay had no involvement in the transfer, which Cardiff dispute.
Sky Sports News understands that Cardiff have brought litigation against McKay in the UK courts in order to ascertain McKay’s exact involvement in the transfer, with a source adding that the organisation of the flight took place while Sala was still employed by Nantes.
According to court documents seen by Sky Sports News, Cardiff claim that McKay was not a registered agent in 2019 but he had “frequent discussion over the terms of the transfer and Franck Kita (CEO FC Nantes) forwarded confidential transfer negotiations to Willie McKay”.
Documents also add that McKay arranged Sala’s private plane and Cardiff claim that McKay, acting as Nantes’ agent, arranged the flight negligently. Following Sala’s death, it emerged that the flight was unlawful and its operator, David Henderson, did not hold the required licence.
This case will be heard in Cardiff in February.
Cardiff City said in a statement to Sky Sports News: “To date, FC Nantes and Willie McKay have not been ordered to disclose any information regarding the transfer.
“FC Nantes’ defence in France denies any links with Willie McKay, yet the small number of documents the club has seen shows him discussing strictly confidential information about the transfer with FC Nantes’ owner, Waldemar Kita, directly, including the transfer fee.
“CCFC considers it just in the circumstances to seek information surrounding Willie McKay’s involvement with FC Nantes in relation to the transfer. CCFC’s claim will be heard in Cardiff Civil Court on Thursday February 8.
“In parallel, the club follows with interest FC Nantes’ indictment by the French police for its recurrent recourse, at least since 2015, to the employment of unauthorised sports agents by drawing up sports agent contracts and player employment contracts under the cover of nominees, given this aligns with the allegations raised by CCFC in its civil claim against FC Nantes.”
Sky Sports News has contacted Nantes for comment. McKay declined to comment.