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Emiliano Sala's body arrives in Buenos Aires ahead of funeral in Progreso, Argentina

Fans pay tribute to missing striker Emiliano Sala prior to the Premier League match between Arsenal and Cardiff City
Image: Fans pay tribute to Emiliano Sala prior to the match between Arsenal and Cardiff

The body of Emiliano Sala has arrived in Buenos Aires ahead of Saturday's funeral at his home town of Progreso.

Sala's body is being taken to Santa Fe in north east Argentina and will then be transported from there to Progreso for the funeral.

The 28-year-old striker died in January just two days after completing a Cardiff club-record £15m move from Nantes.

The single-engine private plane that was carrying Sala and pilot David Ibbotson crashed in the English Channel near Alderney on January 21.

Sala's body was recovered from the wreckage on February 7, but Ibbotson remains missing, with funds being raised to continue the search for the 59-year-old from Lincolnshire.

Cardiff manager Neil Warnock and chief executive Ken Choo will both attend the funeral in Progreso.

Nantes, for whom Sala joined from Bordeaux in the summer of 2015 and scored 42 goals in 120 league appearances, will be represented by defender Nicolas Pallois and general secretary Loic Morin.

A public vigil, expected to last for several hours, will be held in the gymnasium of Sala's boyhood club San Martin de Progreso.

The club posted an emotional tribute on Facebook earlier this week, saying: "We are waiting for you...like the first day you left but this time to stay with us forever.

"You went and you are an example for everyone. Eternally in our hearts."

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