October 28 – Paris St Germain look set to take their bitter wage dispute with Kylian Mbappe to court after the French football league’s governing body (LFP) ruled in favour of the national team captain.
The French league appeals commission has upheld the decision ordering PSG to pay Mbappé, now at Real Madrid, €55 million in unpaid wages – the equivalent of three months’ salary plus the last third of a loyalty bonus the world superstar has long claimed he is owed.
The LFP legal commission ruled in favour of Mbappé last month but PSG insisted it did not owe him the money and appealed. The parties were heard again on October 15 and the verdict remained unchanged on Friday.
“The club must pay him the salary he is claiming. This decision is not subject to appeal, but may be referred to the FFF (French Football Federation) Executive Committee,” the LFP said.
PSG countered by insisting Mbappe had reneged on previously agreed commitments when he left to join Real in the summer – and that he had refused an offer from the LFP to mediate on the issue.
PSG offered him the most lucrative contract in club history when he signed a new contract in 2022. But he always coveted a move to Real Madrid and finally joined on a free transfer, stunning PSG in June last year by saying he would not take up the option of an extra year.
With his contract effectively into its final year, it put PSG in the position of needing to sell arguably the best player in the world to avoid losing him for nothing when the contract expired.
PSG argue that when Mbappé was sidelined before the 2023-24 season – following his decision not to extend his contract – there was a verbal agreement with him opting to relinquish bonuses in order to return to the team.
The club said they will now be “forced to have the player’s bad faith judged by the competent courts if the player regrettably seeks to pursue this incomprehensively damaging dispute.
“Fundamentally, this is a question of good faith, honesty, upholding values and respect for the institution of Paris Saint-Germain and its fans.”
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