LAUSANNE, Aug 29 — Fifa have given French club Nantes and Cardiff City 10 days to reach a settlement in the dispute over payment of the transfer fee following the death of Emiliano Sala.

According to a letter sent to both clubs, if they miss the deadline Fifa will issue its own ruling, which is subject to appeal.

"We can confirm that a letter was sent to the parties on behalf of the chairman of the players’ status committee. Please understand we cannot comment further at this stage,” Fifa said in a statement to AFP.

Nantes appealed to the commission in February after Cardiff failed to pay €17 million (RM79 million) the French club said it was owed following the transfer of Argentine striker Sala, who died on January 17 in a plane crash while travelling to join his new club.

Cardiff had earlier resolved not to pay a first instalment of €6 million of the 17 million fee agreed before the accident. — AFP