Kylian Mbappe finally looks to be heading towards completing his childhood dream of playing for the biggest club in the world, Real Madrid. The Frenchman, who is out of contract with Paris Saint-Germain in June, recently announced his decision to leave the Parisian club after a seven-year spell with them. Pending an official communication, Kylian Mbappe is all set to join Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid in Spain next season onwards.
The striker will be joining Los Blancos on a free transfer, making it one of the biggest free-agent deals in the history of the sport. PSG president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi has several times expressed his disappointment in losing one of the best players in the world for nothing.
As reported by the reliable L’Equipe, Paris Saint-Germain wanted Real Madrid to bear the cost of Mbappe’s outstanding bonus which Florentino Perez declined. As the transfer saga surrounding Mbappe nears its end, the controversy and disputes still find a way to prevail.
Paris Saint-Germain’s refuses to pay Kylian Mbappe’s salary and bonus
Kylian Mbappe’s most recent contract renewal with PSG came in the summer of 2022 when he shocked the world by choosing to prolong his stay in France instead of joining Real Madrid.
According to reports, the contract terms presented one of the most lucrative financial packages in history. His annual salary with the French club amounted to over $80 million per year with a loyalty bonus of around $75 million for each year he stays at Parc des Princes.
Dealing with the prospect of losing Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer, Paris Saint-Germain did not pay him a salary in April. Along with that, they also held back his bonus for the month of February.
In total, the PSG owe the French superstar an amount close to $87 million. Consequently, the matter has become a legal issue with lawyers involved. Rumors have it that Nasser Al-Khelaifi hoped for Real Madrid to reimburse the $87 million, but the Spanish champions refused to pay any sort of money to PSG, considering the history between the two.
Florentino Perez and Nasser Al-Khelaifi’s estranged relationship over the years
The transfer story of Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid has been in the headlines since 2017. Since then, every transfer window has been highlighted by rumors linking the two parties, with the move failing to materialize until now.
In the process, the relationship between Florentino Perez and Nasser Al-Khelaifi has deteriorated massively, causing a tense state between the two clubs. “The truth is that I respect everyone, but I don’t have a good relationship with him.”, were the words of the PSG president about Florentino Perez.
The idea of the European Super League was promoted by Perez in 2021 to tackle the state-backed financial powers in Europe. The Super League has not gone down well with Al-Khelaifi who has not missed an opportunity to criticize the project. He was elected as the chairman of the European Club Association in 2021 to be the face of the battle against the Super League, leading to further worsening the ties with the president of Real Madrid. This is a developing story.