Kylian Mbappe Faces Setback in €55m Dispute with PSG as French Court Unfreezes Club Accounts – Reports\

Kylian Mbappe’s ongoing legal battle with his former club Paris Saint-Germain has taken a dramatic turn, as a French court has reportedly lifted the freeze on the club’s accounts that were provisionally embargoed in April. The decision is being seen as a significant setback for the French superstar, who is seeking to claim €55 million in unpaid wages and loyalty bonuses.

The dispute, which has been brewing since Mbappe ran down his contract and completed a free transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024, centers around a sum that the player believes PSG owes him from his final year at the club. While an earlier court ruling allowed the freezing of PSG’s assets up to the amount in question, the latest ruling has now given the French club breathing room.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the enforcement judge at the Paris Court of First Instance has sided with PSG’s legal representatives, who challenged the original seizure. On May 12, they argued that Mbappe’s team had failed to provide concrete evidence of the debt and had not demonstrated any imminent risk of non-payment on the part of PSG.

This argument appears to have swayed the judge, who ruled to lift the provisional embargoes on three of PSG’s bank accounts. At the time of the freeze, only €14 million of the €55 million had actually been secured, despite the court’s approval for the full amount.

Mbappe’s legal team is said to be stunned by the reversal. Having believed that the freeze would pressure PSG into settling the dispute, they now face the task of taking their case to the Labour Court after failing to find a resolution through football governing bodies or the judicial court.

Sources close to the matter confirm that a scheduled hearing at the Paris Judicial Court was unexpectedly postponed. This delay has only fueled frustration within Mbappe’s camp, who view PSG’s resistance as both unjustified and politically motivated.

The club, on the other hand, maintains that a verbal agreement was reached in the summer of 2023, during a tense standoff over Mbappe’s contract. According to PSG, Mbappe allegedly agreed to waive a portion of the bonuses owed to help stabilize the club’s financial position and ensure the sustainability of squad planning.

Those close to Mbappe have dismissed that notion entirely, branding PSG’s claims as “fantasy.” They insist that no such verbal agreement was made and argue that the club is using these unsubstantiated claims to stall legal proceedings and avoid a payout.

The €55 million claim includes both unpaid wages and loyalty bonuses, a controversial topic given that Mbappe had signaled his desire to leave well in advance of his contract expiration. Some within PSG’s boardroom have long believed that the player shouldn’t be entitled to full loyalty bonuses if he had no intention of extending his stay.

Still, in the absence of a written waiver or amendment to the original contract, Mbappe’s legal team maintains they are on firm ground. They argue that the terms of his deal entitle him to the full amount, and they believe the Labour Court will rule in their favor.

The latest twist in this saga comes as Mbappe begins life at Real Madrid, where he is expected to take on the iconic number 10 shirt following Luka Modric’s departure. However, this shadow of litigation from his PSG days continues to follow him.

Real Madrid have remained publicly silent on the dispute, choosing not to involve themselves in the legal wrangling between their new Galactico and his former employers. Nonetheless, insiders say that Madrid’s legal department has been monitoring the case closely.

The tension between Mbappe and PSG has not only been legal—it has also been personal. The fallout from the 2023 contract dispute severely damaged relations, and despite public attempts to smooth things over, it’s clear that bridges were burned behind the scenes.

Mbappe, who joined PSG in 2017 from Monaco, played a central role in the club’s domestic dominance and Champions League pursuits. His departure, although long anticipated, left a bitter taste given the acrimonious ending and the financial entanglements that followed.

With the case now expected to be heard in the Labour Court in the coming months, the football world will be watching closely. A ruling in Mbappe’s favor could force PSG to pay the €55 million in full, setting a precedent for future disputes involving verbal agreements and unpaid bonuses.

On the other hand, if PSG prevails, it could embolden clubs to challenge bonus payments when players depart, especially in cases where there is a suspicion of bad faith or premeditated exits.

For Mbappe, this isn’t just about money—it’s about principle. His team believes that the club is acting out of spite and attempting to discredit him publicly. If he wins the case, it will not only secure the payment he believes he’s owed, but it may also restore his reputation after months of negative press surrounding the dispute.

Regardless of the outcome, the saga serves as a cautionary tale for elite clubs and superstars alike. Contracts must be honored or clearly renegotiated in writing. Any ambiguity, even when both parties claim verbal agreements were made, is a ticking time bomb.

As the legal process unfolds, Mbappe remains focused on his career at Real Madrid, where expectations are sky-high. But this dispute with PSG threatens to become a lingering subplot in what should be the brightest chapter of his footballing journey.

For now, all eyes turn to the Labour Court, where the next round of this high-profile legal duel will be played out. One thing is certain: neither Mbappe nor PSG is backing down.