The French soccer league’s legal commission is recommending mediation between Kylian Mbappé and his former club Paris Saint-Germain to resolve a dispute over wages and bonuses, PSG announced on Wednesday. Mbappé, who recently transferred to Real Madrid, claims that PSG owes him 55 million euros ($60 million). PSG stated that Mbappé had previously made commitments that need to be honored, emphasizing the benefits he received during his time at the club.
PSG argues that they do not owe Mbappé money according to an agreement made when he was sidelined before the 2023-24 season due to his decision not to extend his contract, where allegedly he agreed to forgo bonuses upon his return to the team.
The legal commission’s suggestion for mediation, welcomed by PSG, comes after the club had been seeking this resolution for a while. The French league and Mbappé’s lawyer did not provide immediate comments on the situation.
The relationship between Mbappé and PSG became strained during his final season at the club. Despite being offered a lucrative contract extension in 2022, Mbappé was discontent as he felt promised signings were not delivered. His contract situation further soured when he was paraded with a jersey showing 2025, which he reportedly found misleading as his contract was until 2024 with a possible extension.
Last year, Mbappé surprised PSG by declining the option for an extra year, prompting PSG to consider selling him to avoid losing him for free in 2024. Attempts to negotiate a move to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia were rejected by Mbappé. The 2023 summer transfer window saw Mbappé excluded from the team initially due to the standoff, but he eventually returned to the lineup following talks between the parties.
Sources: AP soccer.