Paris Saint-Germain have been ordered by a French court to pay £52.5 million to Kylian Mbappé in unpaid salary and bonuses, marking a significant legal development in the long-running dispute between the club and their former star forward.
The ruling was delivered by a Paris labour court following a hearing in November, where Mbappé challenged PSG over withheld payments linked to the final months of his contract. The France captain had initially sought £231.5 million, arguing that the club failed to honour contractual obligations after tensions escalated over his decision not to extend his stay in Paris.
The court, however, awarded a substantially reduced sum, ordering PSG to settle £52.5 million covering outstanding wages and bonuses. While the decision represents a partial victory for Mbappé, it also reflects the court’s assessment of the contractual and regulatory complexities surrounding the case.
The dispute stems from PSG’s decision to sideline Mbappé during the summer of 2023 after he declined to trigger a contract extension clause. Although the forward later returned to the first team and completed the season, his representatives maintained that the club unlawfully withheld payments during the standoff. PSG, for their part, have consistently argued that internal agreements and club policies justified their actions.
Mbappé left PSG at the end of the 2023–24 season after seven years at the club, departing as the club’s all-time leading scorer. His exit followed months of strained relations and public scrutiny, with the financial disagreement becoming one of the most high-profile contractual disputes in modern football.
PSG retain the right to appeal the ruling, and sources close to the club indicate that legal options are still being reviewed. An appeal could delay payment and potentially lead to further hearings, depending on the direction the club chooses to take.
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The case has drawn attention across European football, highlighting the growing legal tensions between elite players and clubs over contracts, image rights and wage structures. Legal experts note that the outcome may influence how clubs manage disputes with high-profile players in the future, particularly when sporting decisions intersect with contractual obligations.
While the ruling brings clarity on the immediate financial claim, it also underscores the broader challenges clubs face in balancing authority, compliance and player power at the top level of the game.
