Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) remains steadfast in its refusal to pay Kylian Mbappe the €55 million sum he claims is owed for waived bonuses. This dispute traces back to August 2023 when Mbappe, in a verbal agreement with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, agreed to forgo a €30 million loyalty bonus and a €25 million signing-on fee as compensation for his departure on a free transfer.
PSG contends that Mbappe acted in “bad faith” by extending his contract in 2022 with a commitment that included a potential one-year extension, which he did not activate. The club alleges that Mbappe misled them about his intentions to stay, which they believe undermines his claim for the bonus payments.
When PSG realized Mbappe had no intention of triggering the extension, they excluded him from their 2023 pre-season tour and put him on the transfer market for €180 million. Despite subsequent discussions and a gentleman’s agreement, Mbappe demanded the €55 million upon officially leaving the club on June 30, 2024, and escalated the issue to the Ligue de Football Professionnel’s (LFP) Legal Commission.
The LFP recommended mediation, which Mbappe rejected, leading them to order PSG to pay the amount within eight days. However, this ruling is non-binding, meaning PSG is not legally obligated to comply immediately. Mbappe now faces the choice of negotiating directly with PSG or pursuing the matter through an Employment Tribunal.
PSG’s official statement highlights their stance: “Having heard the arguments of both parties, the Commission repeatedly urged mediation, which the player refused. Given the Commission’s limited legal scope, the matter must be contested in another forum where PSG will present all relevant facts. The player’s repeated commitments and benefits provided over seven years in Paris must be respected, and PSG looks forward to resolving this in the appropriate legal venue.”
Mbappe’s Legal Battle Continues
Mbappe is expected to argue that PSG engaged in “moral harassment” and attempted to extort money, as evidenced by the club’s actions in the 2023 pre-season. PSG, however, maintains that Mbappe’s exclusion from pre-season games was a standard procedure for high-value assets to avoid injury before a potential transfer.
An Employment Tribunal could take over two years to resolve, and even if it advises a settlement, Mbappe may find himself in the same position. The resolution of this dispute hinges on whether the original contract is deemed to outweigh the verbal agreement on bonus payments.
As of now, PSG shows no intention of making the payment within the next eight days, indicating a protracted legal battle ahead.The ongoing dispute between Kylian Mbappe and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) revolves around a €55 million sum, which Mbappe claims is owed to him for waived bonuses, including a €30 million loyalty bonus and a €25 million signing-on fee. This conflict stems from a verbal agreement made in August 2023 between Mbappe and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, following Mbappe’s decision to forgo the bonuses as part of an arrangement for his future departure.
PSG argues that Mbappe acted in “bad faith” by not activating a one-year extension in his 2022 contract, which they believed he would honor. This extension was crucial to PSG’s plans, and when Mbappe showed no intention of triggering it, the club excluded him from their 2023 pre-season tour and put him on the market for €180 million. Despite this, Mbappe insisted on receiving the €55 million bonus payments when he officially left PSG in June 2024, escalating the matter to the Ligue de Football Professionnel’s (LFP) Legal Commission.
The LFP recommended mediation, but Mbappe rejected this option, leading to a ruling that PSG must pay the amount within eight days. However, this ruling is non-binding, and PSG is under no legal obligation to pay immediately. PSG’s position is that Mbappe’s previous commitments and benefits to the club must be respected, and they intend to contest the matter through other legal avenues, likely in an Employment Tribunal.
Mbappe, on the other hand, is expected to argue that PSG’s actions, including his exclusion from pre-season, amount to “moral harassment” and an attempt to extort money. A legal resolution could take over two years, and the case may ultimately hinge on whether the original contract terms outweigh the verbal agreement made regarding bonus payments. Both parties seem prepared for a prolonged legal battle.
