As expected, the split between Kylian Mbappé and Paris Saint-Germain has been far from amicable. Live Cricket BPL reports that just when the situation appeared to have reached a quiet conclusion, new tensions have erupted. PSG, after paying out an €80 million loyalty bonus to Mbappé, has since withheld his April wages and other performance-related bonuses due through February — a move viewed as both retaliation and leverage.

Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, unable to retain Mbappé despite repeated efforts, is now resorting to what many see as desperate measures. After last summer’s standoff — when Mbappé openly refused to extend his contract — he was excluded from the preseason tour to Japan. While the two sides eventually reached a fragile truce in October, with Mbappé reportedly giving up the loyalty bonus to smooth his exit, the saga reignited after Real Madrid set a February deadline for a final decision.

According to Live Cricket BPL sources, Mbappé personally informed Al-Khelaifi of his intent to leave, leaving the PSG president deeply disappointed. Despite receiving the €80 million bonus as a show of goodwill, Mbappé could not be persuaded to stay. What followed was a sharp reduction in his playing time by coach Luis Enrique — widely interpreted as internal punishment. Al-Khelaifi even attempted to pressure Real Madrid into covering the loyalty bonus as compensation, a demand club president Florentino Pérez flatly rejected. Madrid insists it will pay only signing bonuses, wages, and retain 80% of Mbappé’s image rights — nothing more.

Fueling the discord was a recent altercation between Mbappé and Al-Khelaifi. PSG refused to honor a farewell ceremony during the final home match of the season. Mbappé, in a pre-match farewell message, thanked nearly everyone — except Al-Khelaifi and Qatar’s royal investors. Their meeting before kickoff at Parc des Princes ended poorly, delaying team warm-ups by four minutes. Though PSG publicly denied any quarrel, they privately made it clear they wouldn’t go quietly.

Now, with Mbappé demanding payment of three months’ wages and withheld bonuses for Q2, PSG is countering by asking him to return the €80 million bonus. Live Cricket BPL notes that neither side seems willing to back down, and a protracted legal battle appears inevitable. PSG may even try to escalate the issue with UEFA or FIFA, arguing over contract terms in a bid to complicate Mbappé’s transition to Real Madrid.

Strategically, PSG’s stance also serves to challenge Real Madrid’s authority, especially after positioning itself as a staunch UEFA ally amid the European Super League fallout. As president of the European Club Association, Al-Khelaifi may be leveraging this dispute to undermine Madrid’s growing influence — with Mbappé caught in the political crossfire.

Adding to the spectacle is the involvement of French President Emmanuel Macron, who has long been active in the Mbappé-PSG drama. Two years ago, he and former president Nicolas Sarkozy persuaded Mbappé to stay. This time, Macron not only encouraged him to renew again but reportedly lobbied Real Madrid’s Pérez for Mbappé’s participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics during a private five-minute chat at a FIFA anniversary lunch at the Élysée Palace. But with PSG now withholding wages, Madrid may be reluctant to accommodate.

Negotiations have now shifted to legal teams. Both Mbappé and Al-Khelaifi are being represented solely by lawyers, and no face-to-face discussions are expected soon. Ironically, at this week’s Globe Soccer Awards in the UAE, Mbappé was named European Player of the Season, while Al-Khelaifi won Best Football Executive — a surreal contrast that perfectly captures the ongoing tug-of-war. As Live Cricket BPL observes, this high-stakes standoff between a club icon and its president looks far from over.