Mbappé Rejects Mediation in $60M Dispute with PSG Over Unpaid Wages

Kylian Mbappé has rejected a mediation proposal from the French soccer league’s legal commission in his ongoing financial dispute with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The conflict centers on an alleged $60 million (55 million euros) owed to the superstar by his former club.

The disagreement arose after Mbappé, who joined Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer, claimed that PSG had failed to pay him three months’ worth of salary and the final installment of a loyalty bonus. In response to his request for intervention, the commission organized a meeting in Paris where PSG officials and Mbappé’s representatives convened.

According to Mbappé’s representatives, the mediation offer was dismissed. They argued that a mediation would not resolve the issue since the non-payment could be clearly identified through an analysis of the player’s payslips. “The eventuality of mediation was discussed this morning,” the representatives stated. “This possibility was rejected by the player’s representative, as it would not address the straightforward issue of unpaid wages.”

PSG, however, expressed satisfaction with the two-hour hearing held by the commission. The club’s statement reiterated that Mbappé had made numerous public and private commitments that should be honored, given the substantial benefits he received during his seven years with PSG. The club maintained that it does not owe Mbappé any money under an agreement related to his sidelining before the 2023-24 season. According to PSG, this agreement involved Mbappé waiving bonuses as part of his reintegration into the team after he chose not to extend his contract.

Mbappé’s representatives countered this claim, accusing PSG of attempting to evade payment obligations by citing a non-existent secret agreement. “To avoid fulfilling its payment obligations, the club is trying to demonstrate the existence of a secret agreement, but it has failed to provide evidence of such an agreement,” they said.

The league’s legal commission had recommended mediation between the two parties, a suggestion PSG welcomed. However, with Mbappé’s refusal, the next steps in the dispute remain uncertain. The French league has not yet commented on the matter.

Without mediation, it is likely that the case will proceed to an employment court for resolution. Mbappé’s final season at PSG was marked by significant tension, especially after the club offered him a record-breaking contract in 2022. Despite this, Mbappé was dissatisfied with the club’s failure to fulfill promises regarding new signings and other issues.

When Mbappé signed his new deal in 2022, he was ceremoniously presented to fans with a jersey bearing the year 2025. However, the actual contract was set until 2024 with an option for an additional year, a detail that reportedly annoyed the player. In June 2023, Mbappé informed PSG that he would not exercise the option to extend his contract, putting the club in a position where they needed to sell him to avoid losing him for free at the end of the season.

This decision led to a tense transfer standoff. Mbappé was excluded from PSG’s preseason tour to Japan and South Korea and forced to train with lesser-known players. The club preferred to sell him rather than risk losing him on a free transfer in 2024. Despite a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian team Al-Hilal worth 300 million euros, Mbappé rejected the move.

PSG initially left Mbappé out of the squad for their opening league game of the 2023-24 season. However, after “constructive and positive talks,” PSG eventually allowed him to return to the team.

With the mediation offer now off the table, the resolution of Mbappé’s financial dispute with PSG will likely depend on legal proceedings. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for both Mbappé and the club as they move forward from their complex and contentious relationship.