Emiliano Sala joined Nantes from Bordeaux in 2015
Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock has revealed his interest in signing Emiliano Sala after travelling to France to watch the striker play for Nantes.
On Wednesday, Warnock saw Sala, reportedly valued at £25m, score in a 3-2 win over Marseilles.
The Cardiff boss was also casting his eye over a full-back and a midfielder in the same game.
"He [Sala] has scored some good goals this year," said Warnock.
"He didn't have a very good game the other night, but he's done well.
"And the Marseille lad did well as well. It could have been a full-back or a midfielder but, if I told you the name, it wouldn't be as interesting a story then, would it?"
Sala, 28, is an Argentinean striker who joined Nantes from Bordeaux in 2015 for a reported fee of £1m and has scored 13 goals in all competitions this season.
At 6ft 2in, he is the kind of physically imposing forward Warnock is looking for as he aims to bolster Cardiff's bid for Premier League survival when the transfer window opens in January.
"I'd like someone who could score 25 goals in the next three months," Warnock joked.
Neil Warnock and Bruno Ecuele Manga after Cardiff's 3-1 midweek defeat at West Ham
"We all know what we need. It's no good looking for a certain type of player because they've got to be able to work hard as well as put the ball in the net."
Warnock will have money at his disposal in January but a fee of £25m would represent more than double the record amount Cardiff have spent on one player.
"We've got to find the players that we want and then recommend the players to the club," the 70-year-old Yorkshireman added.
"Then it's down to the club if they can do a deal, whether it's a permanent or a loan - because loans aren't cheap.
"It's a very difficult time January. You will get knockbacks. We'll try and have as many back-ups as we can."
Signing a striker is a priority for Warnock but, as he has previously mentioned, he is also eager to sign a right-back and a midfielder.
One of those players was in Marseilles' starting line-up for Wednesday's loss at Nantes and, between now and the end of January, Warnock and his scouts will look further afield for potential signings.
"We're out all the time now in Europe. South America is a little more difficult and certain leagues finish shortly as well - we've been looking as far afield as Russia as well," he added.
"We're looking at a right-back. At the moment Lee Peltier's just come back [from injury] but then we've only got Bruno [Ecuele Manga], who would have to play centre-half.
"Then we're looking for a midfielder if anything happens to Gunnar [Aron Gunnarsson]. We've nobody really who can play that position as well as Gunnar in the squad."
Source: bbc.com