A Parisian labor tribunal has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay over 60 million euros to Kylian Mbappé, resolving a contentious legal battle over unpaid salaries and bonuses tied to the final months of his contract. The dispute stems from the period preceding the star forward’s high-profile departure to Real Madrid in 2024.
The court’s decision represents a significant legal setback for the French champions, who had launched a massive counter-claim seeking 440 million euros in damages. PSG had argued that the player’s decision to leave on a free transfer after declining to activate a contract extension clause constituted a breach of good faith and caused substantial financial injury.
The relationship between the club and its former talisman deteriorated sharply after Mbappé communicated his intention not to extend his contract beyond 2024. This move reportedly denied PSG a substantial transfer fee, despite the club having previously tabled a record-breaking offer to secure his long-term future. The ensuing fallout saw the player temporarily excluded from the first-team setup during the 2023 pre-season.
Central to PSG’s argument was an alleged verbal agreement from August 2023, wherein Mbappé purportedly consented to a salary reduction should he depart without a transfer fee—a measure the club stated was designed to safeguard its financial interests. The club further contended that the player concealed his final decision for nearly a year, preventing them from orchestrating a sale.
Mbappé’s legal team vigorously contested these claims, asserting that no written evidence of such an agreement was ever presented. They maintained that the club unilaterally withheld wages and bonuses for April, May, and June of 2024. In a statement following the verdict, the player’s representatives emphasized that he “fulfilled all his sporting and contractual obligations to the very end” and had sought an amicable resolution for over 18 months before resorting to litigation.
The ruling, which remains subject to appeal, brings a measure of closure to one chapter of this protracted saga. Mbappé completed his move to Real Madrid last summer after a prolific seven-year spell in Paris, where he became the club’s all-time leading scorer. PSG, meanwhile, have since gone on to secure the UEFA Champions League title.