Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has reportedly withheld payments totaling €80 million (£70 million) from Kylian Mbappe following his free transfer to Real Madrid.
The French superstar, confirmed as Real Madrid’s newest “Galactico” on Monday, signed a five-year deal with the Spanish club, ending a protracted transfer saga.
According to French sports daily L’Equipe, the loss of their star player for no transfer fee has led PSG to withhold substantial payments to avoid “losing face” in the matter.
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Reports indicate that PSG refused to pay the 25-year-old’s salary for April and May and did not issue his bonus for February.
This allowed the club to reclaim around £70 million, an amount promised to the France captain as a loyalty bonus when he signed his contract extension in 2022.
Last November, French outlet RMC Sport reported that Mbappe, who was exiled from PSG’s squad after informing the club he would not extend his contract, was only allowed to return if he agreed to forgo the bonuses owed to him.
PSG initially insisted that the only way Mbappe could rejoin Luis Enrique’s first team was by signing a new deal, which he refused.
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As a result, Mbappe was excluded from the club’s pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea and was forced to train with a group dubbed the “undesirables”—players PSG was attempting to force out.
Mbappe was reintegrated into the squad after missing the first game of the season against Lorient.
L’Equipe’s recent report supports these claims, stating that the dispute over the bonuses was only partially resolved.
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Mbappe, PSG’s all-time top scorer, saw his playing time significantly reduced after he informed the club president of his intention to leave at the end of the season.
Mbappe is currently with the French national team, preparing for Euro 2024, and will officially join Real Madrid after the tournament concludes.