According to reports from the French outlet L’équipe, the salary dispute between Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé and his former club, Paris Saint-Germain, officially went to trial yesterday.
After months of back-and-forth disagreements, both sides have presented vastly different claims. Mbappé is seeking €260 million in compensation from PSG, while the club is countersuing the player for €440 million, citing transfer losses and damage to contractual loyalty.
Dispute Origin: Breakdown of Relations After Mbappé Refused to Renew
The conflict began when Mbappé made it clear he would not renew his contract with PSG. As a result, he was excluded from the first-team squad, which rapidly deteriorated the relationship between the two parties.
In the summer of 2023, Mbappé left PSG as a free agent and joined La Liga giants Real Madrid. However, his departure did not end the tensions between him and his former club.
Mbappé Seeks €260 Million
According to L’Équipe, Mbappé’s claim against PSG totals more than €260 million. This includes a €40.4 million signing bonus, €19 million in unpaid wages from April to June 2024, and the corresponding holiday compensation.
However, PSG rejected Mbappé’s request and launched a counterclaim seeking €440 million in damages.
PSG’s Counterclaim
PSG has long been dissatisfied with Mbappé’s public announcement that he would not renew his contract, arguing that he concealed his intentions and caused the club substantial losses on the transfer market.
PSG insists that had they known Mbappé’s true intentions earlier, they would have exercised their right to sell him, especially considering the massive offers they reportedly received from Saudi clubs.
The club’s €440 million counterclaim includes €180 million in “lost transfer opportunity,” equivalent to the fee paid to sign Mbappé from AS Monaco, €180 million in loyalty compensation damages, €60 million for contractual breach, €20 million for reputational and image damage.
PSG argues that these figures reflect the financial impact of Mbappé’s actions.
Mbappé’s Lawyers: PSG’s Claims Are “Absurd”
In response, Mbappé’s two lawyers stated that PSG’s allegations are completely absurd.
They emphasized that the club has no right to use past transfer fees as a basis for compensation and argued that a player exercising his contractual rights cannot be interpreted as harming the club.
Verdict Expected on December 16
Both sides remain firm in their positions during the hearing. Given the enormous sums involved and Mbappé’s status as one of the world’s top footballers, the case has drawn significant attention from European media and fans.
The final ruling is expected on December 16, which could bring a decisive conclusion to this highly publicized dispute.
