Tuesday 15 January 2019 10:04, UK
Nantes striker Emiliano Sala has flown back to France following "constructive" talks, an agent involved in the deal has told Sky Sports News.
The Nantes striker met with manager Neil Warnock and club's chief executive Ken Choi for more than two hours on Monday afternoon.
Warnock has been trying to complete an £18million deal for Sala - one of the top performers in France this season - since before the January window started.
"Emiliano was very impressed with what Neil and Mr Choo had to say and with the club itself," intermediary Mark McKay told Sky Sports News.
We understand negotiations are at an advanced stage and are this evening continuing between the player and the two clubs.
The £18m fee, which would see Cardiff pay £15m up front with a further £3m to come in additional payments, would dwarf the £11m the club paid for Chilean midfielder Gary Medel in 2013.
The 28-year-old Argentine has scored 12 goals in 18 Ligue 1 appearances this season, with Nantes sitting in mid-table in the French top flight.
Sala has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs but it is Cardiff who look set to land his signature.
Last week, Cardiff boss Neil Warnock admitted that he needed to sign another striker in the January window in a bid to get more goals into the side.
"I'd still like another striker, even with the lads that are here, because something like this might happen again," Warnock said.
"We're very thin on the ground in that area and we've got to try and get more goals into the team."
Callum Paterson is the club's top scorer in the league this season with four goals, with Cardiff having scored just 19 in total in the Premier League.
Sala joined Nantes from Bordeaux in 2015 following loan spells with Chamois Niortais and Caen.
