Kylian Mbappé’s Legal Battle with PSG: A Deep Dive into the Ongoing Dispute
In the world of football, few names resonate as powerfully as Kylian Mbappé. The French striker, known for his lightning speed and clinical finishing, is now making headlines not for his on-field exploits but for a legal tussle with his former club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The crux of the matter? A hefty sum of €55 million ($61m) in unpaid wages that Mbappé claims PSG owes him.
Mbappé’s legal team has decided to go on “the attack” to resolve this dispute, which has been simmering for over a year. According to legal expert Thomas Clay, Mbappé has been authorized to make a precautionary seizure of the money, which has been frozen from PSG’s bank accounts as of Thursday. A legal hearing is scheduled for May 26, marking a significant date in this ongoing saga.
Delphine Verheyden, Mbappé’s main lawyer, expressed the team’s frustration, stating, “This story has been going on for just over a year now. One year was the deadline we set for ourselves for trying to resolve this dispute as peacefully as possible.” She further added, “As the months went by, Kylian Mbappé still hasn’t been paid the missing 55 million euros. A decision has been taken, this time to go on the attack.”
In a bid to escalate the matter, Verheyden mentioned that they are also seeking the intervention of the French sports minister. They plan to legally challenge a decision by the appeals commission of the French Football Federation, which ruled that Mbappé’s appeal against PSG was not receivable. Additionally, Verheyden intends to ask UEFA to investigate the matter, arguing that PSG is in breach of its salary obligations. If PSG is found responsible, the club could potentially lose its license to play in the Champions League.
PSG, on the other hand, has expressed a desire to reach an “amicable” solution to the dispute. The club released a statement saying, “despite the repeated signs of bad faith and the player’s total refusal of any mediation.” They further questioned why Mbappé is not taking his case to the labor chamber, which they believe is the only competent court to settle the dispute.
The club’s statement continued, “All the procedures announced by Kylian Mbappé’s lawyers only serve to delay the resolution of the dispute by the labor chamber, before which PSG is ready to present all the facts, evidence, and testimony proving the existence of an agreement, or better still by means of the transaction that PSG has been calling for over a year.”
To provide some context, last October, the French league appeals commission upheld the decision ordering PSG to pay Mbappé the unpaid wages he wants. Mbappé claims the club owes him three months’ salary and the last third of a loyalty bonus.
Mbappé’s departure from PSG was not without drama. He joined Real Madrid last summer on a free transfer after scoring a club-record 256 goals in seven years at PSG. The relationship between Mbappé and PSG soured when he decided not to extend his contract, leading to his sidelining before the 2023-24 season. PSG argued that there was a verbal agreement with Mbappé to relinquish bonuses in order to return to the team.
The tension between Mbappé and PSG was palpable, with some fans even booing him during his last home game at Parc des Princes. PSG felt let down by Mbappé after offering him the most lucrative contract in club history when he signed a new contract in 2022. However, Mbappé was reportedly frustrated because he felt promises to sign key players were not kept.
In June 2023, Mbappé stunned PSG by informing the club he would not take the option for an extra year. This decision effectively put PSG in a position where they needed to sell Mbappé to avoid losing him for nothing when the contract expired. His PSG career could have ended that summer amid a tense transfer standoff.
After informing the club of his decision, Mbappé was left off a preseason tour to Japan and South Korea and forced to train with fringe players. PSG stated they would rather sell him than let the player leave for free in 2024, but he rejected a €300m ($335m) move to Saudi Pro League team Al-Hilal.
Despite being left out of the opening league game of that season, Mbappé soon returned to the lineup following talks. Now, Mbappé’s legal team is taking action against PSG for harassment due to the way he was treated. They are also starting another legal procedure before an industrial tribunal, while Mbappé and his mother have filed lawsuits for the abuse they received online.
- Legal hearing scheduled for May 26
- Mbappé claims €55 million in unpaid wages
- PSG seeks amicable resolution
- Potential UEFA investigation into PSG’s salary obligations
Originally Written by: Associated Press
