FIFA investigating transfer payment for Sala

FIFA began an investigation Wednesday to transfer payments for Argentinian striker Emiliano Sala, who was killed in a plane crash in January.

"We can confirm we have received a claim [from Nantes]. We are looking into the matter and consequently we have no further comments at this stage," said a FIFA spokesman, as quoted by SkySports.

English Premier League club Cardiff City were due to pay the first of three installments of £15 million ($19.9 million) for Sala's previous team, Nantes, in France.

Cardiff City should have paid the first installment Feb. 20 but the clubs agreed to delay it for a week.

Sala, 28, was on his way to join his new club Jan. 21 after he signed the contract, however, the ill-fated plane carrying him from Nantes to Cardiff vanished from radars near the Channel Islands.

Sala spent the majority of his career in France, playing for Bordeaux, US Orleans, FC Chamois Niort, SM Caen and Nantes.

He played in 200 club matches, where he scored 73 goals during his career.

This season Sala scored 12 goals in 19 French top-tier division appearances as he was on Cardiff City's radar.

Cardiff City signed him from Nantes on Jan. 19 for £15 million.

The wreckage of a plane was found by a private search boat Feb. 3 where his body was recovered from the single-turbine airplane.

British police confirmed Feb. 7 a body recovered from the wreckage in the English Channel was Sala's. The body of David Ibbotson, the pilot, has yet to be recovered.