Mbappe vs PSG: Explosive Legal War Erupts as Star's Battle with Club Reaches Breaking Point
Staggering sums have been thrown around by both Kylian Mbappé and Paris Saint-Germain in a legal battle that has intensified since the matter reached court this week.
Mbappé, who departed PSG when his contract expired to join Real Madrid in 2024, has been pursuing outstanding salary payments for over a year. After initially seeking the €55 million ($63.8 million) he considered owed to him, the France skipper is now requesting more than €260 million ($301 million) to cover his wages, wrongful termination, and moral damages.
PSG, meanwhile, seeks €440 million from the club's record goalscorer, claiming that Mbappé's supposed deception cost them a transfer fee and even caused reputational harm. Frankly, this scenario reflects poorly on both sides.
Why Is Kylian Mbappe Suing PSG for $300 Million?
This dispute originates from a contract renewal at PSG that Mbappé signed in May 2022. Despite what the jersey he displayed at the announcement implied, the agreement was only guaranteed for two years with an optional third year that could solely be activated by the player.
To PSG's dismay, Mbappé chose not to remain for a third season, instead departing to join Madrid without a transfer fee. However, the 26-year-old is still awaiting portions of his salary from that final campaign in Paris.
Mbappé simply seeks payment of what he's owed. "Kylian Mbappé is not requesting anything beyond what the law stipulates; he is merely pursuing the enforcement of his legal entitlements, as any worker would," a statement from the player's representatives declared.
The €55 million that the Frenchman initially sought was frozen from PSG's accounts in April by the courts, but his claims have since increased fivefold. This results from an effort to reclassify his contract from fixed-term to permanent, which would grant him wages, bonuses and unpaid compensation.
Mbappé has also alleged moral harassment by PSG after being placed in the "loft"—the French expression for a group of unused players—at the beginning of the 2023–24 season, once it became apparent he wouldn't sign a new contract or accept a transfer to any club besides Real Madrid. Luis Enrique eventually returned his striker to the starting lineup, yet Mbappé's representatives still characterized the practice as "outrageous and disgraceful."
Why Are PSG Counter-Suing Mbappe?
When PSG received correspondence from Mbappé's representatives in June 2023 officially notifying them that he had no plans to activate another year's extension, alarm bells rang. The French powerhouse organized a rushed bidding process for their star striker, frantically attempting to recover some of the €180 million they invested to acquire him from Monaco in 2017. However, Mbappé's position was unwavering: it was Real Madrid or bust, and he was willing to wait until becoming a free agent in summer 2024.
During this chaotic period, reports emerged that Mbappé turned down a €300 million proposal from Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal. The revenue from that unsuccessful transfer is part of the €440 million that PSG is seeking from their former star, who has also been charged with violating "good faith" and causing image harm.
This matter of "good faith" is believed to relate to a "gentleman's agreement" between Mbappé and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi once it became evident that Mbappé would remain in Paris for the 2023–24 season. The forward alluded to some arrangement in January 2024, when he told reporters that "the agreement I made with the president [Nasser Al-Khelaifi] last summer safeguards all parties, regardless of my decision."
Mbappé's legal representatives have subsequently argued that any "gentleman's agreement" holds no validity.
The correspondence that PSG received in June 2023 disclosing Mbappé's plans to depart in 2024 was dated July 2022. PSG's attorneys characterized the 11 months in between as "misleading conduct" that triggered this substantial counterclaim.
"In court, the club presented proof demonstrating that the player acted unfaithfully by hiding for almost 11 months, between July 2022 and June 2023, his decision not to renew his contract, thus preventing the club from any opportunity to organize a transfer," PSG stated this week.
"The player then disputed an agreement reached with the club in August 2023, which stipulated a salary reduction should he choose to leave on a free transfer, in order to maintain the club's financial stability following the extraordinary investment made."