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Kylian Mbappé Refuses to Budge in Dispute with Paris Saint-Germain Over Unpaid Wages

French soccer superstar Kylian Mbappé has rejected a mediation offer from the French soccer league’s legal commission, refusing to compromise with his former club, Paris Saint-Germain, over unpaid wages and bonuses. The standoff has been ongoing since Mbappé’s departure from PSG to Real Madrid in the summer.

According to a statement from Mbappé’s representatives, the player asked the commission to take note of the non-payment of three months’ salary and the last third of a loyalty bonus, which totals 55 million euros ($60 million). The representatives claimed that a mediation would be “useless” to record a lack of payment that could be seen from a simple analysis of the player’s payslip.

PSG, however, has argued that it does not owe Mbappé the unpaid wages under an agreement reached when the player was sidelined ahead of the 2023-24 season. The club claims that Mbappé had made “clear, repeated public and private commitments” to respect the agreement, which the player allegedly stipulated would relinquish bonuses over his reintegration into the team.

The French league did not respond to a request for comments from the AP, while Mbappé’s representatives did not reveal their next steps. Given the current deadlock, it is likely that the case will ultimately be settled by an employment court.

Mbappé’s relationship with PSG ended amid deep tensions during his final season at the club. PSG felt let down by Mbappé after offering him the most lucrative contract in the club’s history in 2022. However, Mbappé was frustrated because he felt promises to sign key players were not kept. The standoff between the two parties has been ongoing since Mbappé’s decision not to extend his contract for an extra year in June last year.

The situation has also led to a tense transfer standoff, with PSG initially refusing to let Mbappé leave for free in 2024. However, Mbappé rejected a 300 million euro move to Saudi team Al-Hilal and eventually joined Real Madrid on a free transfer.

With the dispute showing no signs of resolution, it remains to be seen how this saga will ultimately play out. One thing is certain, however – Kylian Mbappé is determined to fight for the wages and bonuses he believes are owed to him.