The appeals commission of France’s Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) has reaffirmed its decision, requiring Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to pay Kylian Mbappe €55 million in unpaid wages. This follows PSG’s appeal against a previous ruling by the LFP legal commission in favor of Mbappe, asserting he was owed three months’ salary and a loyalty bonus portion. The verdict, rendered on Oct. 15, remained unchanged after Friday’s appeal hearing.
“(PSG) must pay him the parts of his salary he is claiming,” an LFP spokesperson informed The Associated Press via email. They also clarified that this ruling is final and cannot be appealed further, though PSG can escalate the issue to the executive committee of the French Football Federation (FFF).
Despite the legal decision, PSG has voiced dissatisfaction, labeling Mbappe’s actions as “bad faith” and indicating it may take additional legal steps to contest the ruling. PSG contends that Mbappe had verbally agreed to relinquish certain bonuses to facilitate his return to the team, after he initially declined a contract extension in the 2023-24 season.
The tension between the club and its former star escalated as Mbappe rejected a mediation offer from the commission, proceeding instead with the formal complaint. His career with PSG ended in July when he joined Real Madrid on a free transfer, concluding a tenure that saw him score a club-record 256 goals over seven seasons.
PSG’s position is that Mbappe enjoyed “unprecedented benefits” during his time with the club. However, the forward expressed frustration over unmet promises to sign high-profile players, even after signing a record-breaking contract in 2022. Though Mbappe held a jersey emblazoned with “2025” during the 2022 contract announcement, he later clarified his contract extended only until 2024, with an option for an additional season that he declined in June 2023.
PSG had hoped to negotiate Mbappe’s transfer to recoup potential losses, yet a tense negotiation ensued, resulting in him being sidelined during the preseason and barred from a tour in Japan and South Korea. PSG sought to sell Mbappe to avoid a free transfer in 2024, turning down a €300 million offer from Saudi club Al-Hilal after Mbappe declined the move.
Eventually, PSG allowed Mbappe back into the lineup following renewed talks, although his final home game at Parc des Princes was marked by boos from some fans. Now with Real Madrid, Mbappe has scored eight goals in 13 matches, setting the stage for a new chapter as he prepares for Saturday’s anticipated El Clasico against Barcelona.
