PSG agree to pay €60m to Kylian Mbappe but refuse to rule out appeal after court rules in favour of Real Madrid star

The long-running and acrimonious financial dispute between Paris Saint-Germain and their former talisman, Mbappe, has reached a significant judicial milestone. The Industrial Tribunal in Paris has ruled in favour of the Real Madrid striker, ordering the French champions to pay a colossal sum exceeding €60m in unpaid salaries and bonuses. However, despite the clarity of the court’s decision, the club has issued a defiant response, suggesting that while they will pay the sum immediately, the legal war may continue in the appellate courts.

The verdict, delivered on Tuesday, vindicates Mbappe’s claim that he was wrongfully deprived of three months of wages and various bonuses during the fractious final months of his tenure at the Parc des Princes. While the payment is enforceable immediately, PSG’s reaction indicates that the bitterness of the separation has not yet dissipated.

In a statement released following the verdict, the club accepted the ruling’s immediate enforceability but maintained its stance that it had acted properly throughout the saga.

"Paris Saint-Germain acknowledges the judgment pronounced by the Conseil des Prud’hommes of Paris, which it will execute, while reserving the right to appeal. Paris Saint-Germain has always acted in good faith and with integrity, and will continue to do so. The Club now turns towards the future, based on unity and collective success, and wishes the player the best for the rest of his career."

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The court’s ruling provides a forensic breakdown of exactly what PSG withheld from the French captain during the spring of 2024, as relations between player and president Nasser Al-Khelaifi collapsed. The total sum is comprised of unpaid wages, a loyalty bonus, and an 'ethics' bonus, along with the associated holiday pay for each element.

The largest portion of the judgment relates to the final instalment of his signing bonus. The tribunal ordered PSG to pay €36,666,680 gross as the third instalment of this bonus. Additionally, the club must pay €3,666,666 in paid leave (holiday pay) attached to this specific instalment.

Furthermore, the court confirmed that Mbappé was not paid his standard salary for the final three months of his contract. PSG have been ordered to pay €17,250,000 in back pay covering the wages for April, May, and June 2024. This also incurs a holiday pay charge of €1,725,000.

Perhaps most ironically, given the accusations of "bad faith" thrown by the club, the court ordered the payment of the so-called "ethics bonus." This clause, standard in many modern football contracts, rewards players for good behaviour and upholding the club's values. The court awarded Mbappé €1.5m for the ethics bonuses of April, May, and June 2024, plus €150,000 in associated paid leave.

In a move that serves as a sting in the tail for the Parisian club, the tribunal did not just order financial restitution; they also ordered a measure of public transparency.

As part of the ruling, the court has mandated that a summary of the judgment must be published on the homepage of the official PSG website. This publication must remain visible for one month starting from the notification and service of the judgment. For a club that carefully curates its global brand image, being forced to host a legal notice confirming they unlawfully withheld wages from their star player will be seen as a significant embarrassment.

The crux of PSG's defence had relied on an alleged oral agreement struck between Mbappe and Al-Khelaifi in August 2023. The club argued that Mbappe had agreed to waive these bonuses if he left the club on a free transfer, to ensure PSG did not suffer a total financial loss upon his departure to Madrid.

However, without a signed amendment to his employment contract, the tribunal found in favour of the written contract over the disputed verbal promises. This echoes previous non-binding rulings by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), which had also recommended PSG pay the outstanding amounts.

While PSG have stated they will "execute" the payment, their caveat that they "reserve the right to appeal" suggests this saga could drag on. An appeal would move the case to a higher court, potentially extending the legal wrangling for another year or more. For now, however, Mbappé has won a resounding victory, and his bank balance is set to receive a €60m boost just before Christmas.