French football superstar Kylian Mbappe has rejected a mediation offer from Ligue 1’s legal commission in his ongoing $60 million dispute with his former club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The disagreement centers around unpaid wages and bonuses following his transfer to Real Madrid.
Mbappe, who left PSG for Real Madrid as a free agent this summer, claims that PSG still owes him 55 million euros (approximately $60.5 million) in unpaid salaries for three months and the final third of a loyalty bonus.
The mediation proposal was presented on Wednesday, but Mbappe’s representative declined the offer during a meeting with PSG officials in Paris.
“The eventuality of a mediation was mentioned this morning,” Mbappe’s side said in a statement. “This possibility was rejected during the meeting by the player’s representative. A mediation would be useless to record a lack of payment that would be seen from a simple analysis of the player’s payslip.”
A PSG spokesperson indicated that the club has invited Mbappe to consider the mediation process. They argue that, according to an agreement ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, Mbappe allegedly agreed to relinquish bonuses in exchange for his reintegration into the team after being sidelined for not extending his contract.
Mbappe scored a record-breaking 256 goals and provided 108 assists in 308 games for PSG over seven years. His contributions helped the club secure six Ligue 1 championships and four Coupe de France titles among other trophies.
The departure was far from amicable. PSG expressed disappointment over Mbappe’s decision to leave after signing a lucrative deal in 2022, while Mbappe felt the club failed to fulfill promises of signing key players to remain competitive.
Although Mbappe’s team has not specified their next course of action after rejecting mediation, the dispute may ultimately be settled in an employment court.
The standoff between one of football’s brightest stars and his former club adds another layer of intrigue to an already dramatic transfer saga. The football world watches closely as the situation unfolds.
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Mbappe rejects mediation offer in $60 million dispute with PSG
cgtn.com