The legal battle between Kylian Mbappe and his former club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), has escalated dramatically, with both parties now pursuing claims for significant sums of money. Mbappe, currently a star forward for Real Madrid, is suing PSG for €240 million, alleging mistreatment towards the end of his tenure with the French club. PSG has responded with a countersuit, demanding €180 million from Mbappe.
Mbappe's initial complaint, filed in June, centers around his treatment by PSG at the start of the 2023/24 season. He claims he was sidelined by the club, owned by Qatari investors, and forced to train with players the club was trying to offload after he refused to agree to a new contract. This allegedly included being excluded from the team's pre-season tour of Asia and missing the first game of the season. Mbappe believes this constituted "moral harassment". Beyond the alleged harassment, Mbappe also claims that PSG owes him unpaid wages and bonuses. In April 2025, his legal team sought to recover $62.48 million (€55 million) in unpaid wages and bonuses. A Paris civil court judge granted an order to provisionally freeze $62.48 million of the club's assets. According to reports, the sums include a signing bonus (€36.6 million), salary (€5,750,000 per month for April, May and June 2024), and ethics bonuses (€500,000 per month for the same period).
PSG has vehemently denied owing Mbappe any money, with a source stating that the club had set aside $62.48 million "in case it was ordered to pay". The club claims Mbappe verbally agreed to forgo his wages. PSG's countersuit seeks €180 million in damages, arguing that Mbappe's refusal to accept a €300 million transfer offer from Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal cost the club a significant transfer fee. PSG contends that Mbappe's actions negatively impacted the club's financial situation. The club had argued in a May 2025 hearing that the disagreement with Mbappe made it impossible to sell him for a transfer fee of at least €180 million, which they considered to be his market value at the time.
Adding another layer of complexity, PSG is also alleging that Mbappé owes the club money, citing "tactics used" during his time in Paris as the basis for their claim. Sources involved in the legal proceedings on behalf of PSG have accused Mbappé of making exorbitant demands during his time with the club. They allege that Mbappé insisted on receiving lavish treatment and wielding considerable influence within the team, only to orchestrate a departure to Real Madrid while attempting to extract as much money as possible from PSG.
The French professional football league (LFP) acknowledged that PSG owed Mbappe certain payments, but stated that it lacks the authority to enforce payment. The LFP can only refer the matter to UEFA, which could potentially punish PSG. Mbappe's legal team has appealed to the French Football Federation to inform UEFA of the unpaid wages, claiming a breach of UEFA's rules, and suggesting PSG could lose its license to play in the Champions League if found guilty.
The dispute highlights the increasingly fraught relationship between players and clubs in modern football, particularly when large sums of money are involved. The outcome of the legal battle could have significant implications for how top clubs manage disputes with their star players. The case is currently being heard in a Paris employment tribunal.
