Kylian Mbappé Refuses Mediation in $60M Pay Dispute with PSG

Kylian Mbappé remains firm in his position against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The French football star declined a mediation offer from the French soccer league’s legal commission on Wednesday as part of his ongoing dispute regarding unpaid wages and bonuses with his former club.

Mbappé’s representatives recently had a meeting with PSG officials in Paris, following his request for involvement from the legal commission. The player, who joined Real Madrid this summer on a free transfer, claims that PSG owes him approximately €55 million, equivalent to around $60 million.

In a statement released to the Associated Press, Mbappé’s team highlighted his grievance regarding three months of unpaid salary along with the final portion of a loyalty bonus. “The possibility of mediation was brought up this morning,” the statement indicated. “However, the player’s representative dismissed this option during the meeting. Mediation would be pointless in addressing the lack of payment, something that can be easily identified from a review of the player’s payslip.”

PSG expressed satisfaction with the two-hour discussion at the commission, reiterating that Mbappé had previously made “clear, repeated public and private commitments” that they believe need to be honored, especially since he received significant benefits from the club during his seven years in Paris.

The Ligue 1 champions assert they do not owe any money to the World Cup winner based on an agreement made when Mbappé was not playing at the beginning of the 2023-24 season. This followed his decision not to extend his contract; reports suggest that he agreed to forfeit certain bonuses related to his reintegration into the team.

The legal commission has suggested mediation as a potential solution, which PSG claims to have sought for months. “The Commission has now urged the player to consider the mediation process,” a spokesperson for PSG stated.

The relationship between Mbappé and PSG has grown increasingly strained, particularly during his last season with the club. PSG felt betrayed by the player after offering him an unprecedented contract when he signed a new deal in 2022. Conversely, Mbappé was frustrated due to unmet expectations regarding the signing of key players.

When Mbappé signed the new contract, he was showcased to fans holding a jersey with “2025” printed on it. However, he was reportedly displeased because the deal was effectively set to expire in 2024, with the option for an additional year, rather than a firm contract until 2025.

In June of the previous year, Mbappé shocked the club by announcing he would not exercise the option for an additional year on his contract. This decision left PSG in a precarious position, needing to transfer him rather than lose him for free at the end of the contract.

The summer of 2023 posed a potential end to Mbappé’s tenure at PSG amid a tumultuous transfer situation. After communicating his decision not to extend his contract for another year, he was excluded from a preseason tour in Japan and South Korea and was made to train with less prominent players. PSG would have preferred to sell him rather than see him depart for nothing in 2024, yet Mbappé turned down a staggering €300 million transfer offer from the Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.

Despite being left out of the team’s first league match of that season due to the ongoing standoff, PSG eventually reinstated him in the lineup after what was described as “constructive and positive talks” between the two parties at the time.

Source: Reuters and The Associated Press