The intense fallout between Kylian Mbappe and his former club Paris Saint-Germain moved into a new phase on Monday as their long-running disagreement reached the French labour court.
The tense session saw the France captain demand 263 million euros ($304m), while the club countered with a claim insisting he must pay 440m euros in return. Both camps presented extensive arguments, each attaching heavy financial estimates to their complaints.
PSG explained that a central part of their demand comes from what they consider a failed 300 million-euro transfer arrangement with Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal in June 2023, which Mbappe turned down, as well as the complications that followed that refusal. The forward eventually left Paris on a free transfer the following summer when his contract ended, joining Real Madrid.
After the hearing, PSG lawyer Renaud Semerdjian, speaking to AFP, confirmed the club’s stance by saying, “We are indeed claiming 440 million euros.” He added that the amount includes lost transfer income, harm done to the club’s image, and what they describe as a violation of an understanding they say was made with Mbappe after he rejected the move to Saudi Arabia.
Mbappe was not physically present at the hearing but was represented by four lawyers. He maintains that he never agreed in 2023 to relinquish any funds owed to him. He had already filed a complaint in June regarding what he described as unfair treatment by PSG at the beginning of the 2023–24 season. According to his submission, he was pushed aside and required to train with a group of players the club aimed to sell after he refused to renew his contract.
This type of separation has been a recurring issue in French football and even prompted the players’ union to submit its own complaint last year. Mbappe was also excluded from PSG’s pre-season tour of Asia in 2023 and missed the opening match of that season. He later returned to the squad following discussions with the club’s leadership.
Another key point in Mbappe’s case is his claim that PSG applied an incorrect French legal classification to his contract, something he argues affected him significantly. After seven seasons in Paris, he signed for Real Madrid, where reports place his annual salary at around 30 million euros. Despite scoring 256 goals in 308 matches for PSG, the club went on to win the Champions League for the first time in its history the season after his departure.
The tribunal is expected to take several weeks before reaching a conclusion, with a decision set to be announced on December 16.
What you should know
This legal confrontation reflects the complete breakdown between Mbappe and PSG during his final year at the club, involving disputes over transfers, contract terms, and his treatment within the squad.
With both sides seeking enormous financial compensation, the case stands as one of the most significant and contentious battles between a footballer and his former club in recent years.
