the departure of Kylian Mbappé represents an economic challenge for PSG

Tuesday evening, Kylian Mbappé will play his round of 16 second leg of the Champions League. He will probably leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season and this departure will have major economic repercussions for the football club.

Kylian Mbappé announced to his president in February his departure from PSG at the end of the season, after seven years at the club. And the losses will be significant for the Parisian club, since they affect both the sporting performance of PSG, but also its valuation or even the profits it reaps, this is what a consulting firm Circle has calculated Strategy. Since his arrival at PSG in 2017, Kylian Mbappé has brought several champion titles, victories in the French Cup, and a Champions League final. We can imagine that without the player, Paris will perform less well in these competitions.

Certainly, Kylian Mbappé is expensive for the club, PSG paid high transfer costs and bonuses for the player. There is also his salary, which since 2022, is estimated at 200 million euros per year. But the differential with what the player brings to the club is largely positive. On average, other players are not profitable, while according to the study, Kylian Mbappé has brought in more than 40 million euros for PSG in recent years. It boosts jersey sales, +40% since 2017, but also ticketing revenue +67%, broadcast rights have increased by 80%. Kylian Mbappé is a formidable ambassador for the PSG brand, who attracts sponsors, increases his influence on social networks, and amplifies the international visibility of the club.

PSG revenues increased by 175%

If we take the whole, Kylian Mbappé will have contributed to PSG’s revenues increasing by 175%. The club’s valuation thus increased from 841 million euros to more than four billion, a five-fold increase. As a result, PSG entered the top 5 of the most valuable clubs. We understand the exceptional economic contribution of the player.

And the French economy also benefits from it, according to the study, Kylian Mbappé’s contracts bring in 100 million euros annually in taxes. If he leaves the territory, inevitably, it will be a loss of income for the French state. Kylian Mbappé also stimulates interest in Paris and tourism. We see this in Google searches, for example. On the search engine, during Champions League matches when Mbappé plays, we observe an increase in connections of 78% concerning the capital.