Golden Ball, Bigger Paychecks? Dembele Faces PSG Pay Policy in Looming Showdown

The Ballon d’Or Win Triggers a Wage Debate

Ousmane Dembélé, Paris Saint-Germain’s star, is poised for a tricky stand-off with the club’s leadership in the coming weeks as his Ballon d’Or 2025 triumph reshapes his leverage at the negotiating table.

Winning the Ballon d’Or in 2025, celebrated at a ceremony in Paris on September 22, has given his camp a powerful argument: a substantial salary increase to reflect his elevated status and market value.

With a contract that runs to 2028 and at age 28, Dembele and his representatives are naturally seeking to monetize his new status, pressing PSG to recognise the reward he has earned on the world stage.

Radio Monte Carlo has reported that the club’s wage policy remains strict, and that Luis Campos has signalled a strong commitment to applying it evenly across the squad, in a bid to protect PSG’s financial health and long-term project.

Gianluigi Donnarumma’s recent move to Manchester City—coming at the end of the summer window and without a contract extension—illustrates the other side of the coin: players who may demand more than the club is willing to allocate under the current plan.

Campos has stressed that the policy is designed to safeguard the club, saying maintaining stability for Paris Saint-Germain is paramount and that the club’s interests supersede any single player’s ambitions.

The club’s stance is clear: “The team comes first; you earn more when you truly deserve it.” This approach aims to curb the era of special deals and sky-high salaries not tied to performance or the team’s broader goals.

Donnarummas’s case has become a reference point for the discussion: the decision not to extend was tied to salary expectations that arguably exceeded PSG’s current framework.

The Shaky Crossroads for PSG

Campe’s remarks to RMC weeks earlier reinforced that the structure applies to everyone; no one is exempt from the club’s renewed emphasis on merit and sustainability.

“There will be no changes to the club’s core stance due to one player seeking to excel,” Campos insisted, underlining the aim to protect PSG’s financial health and future prospects.

The broader message from the club remains that the “club is more important than any individual.” They argue that a merit-based system fosters balance and long-term success rather than quick, unsustainable rewards.

Officials have pointed to the post-2024-25 financial recovery and note that any talks with Dembele must fit within a tighter margin, especially given a dip in local TV revenue. A salary matching Messi or Neymar’s reported ~€31 million net per year seems unlikely in the current climate.

Leaders and observers alike stress that PSG remains under UEFA’s Financial Fair Play scrutiny and is determined to avoid past mistakes by not pushing the budget beyond sustainable limits.

In summary, Dembele’s negotiations will be a key barometer for how far PSG will go to reward a Ballon d’Or winner while staying true to the club’s philosophy of merit, balance, and stability.

From Lequipe’s reporting: Dembele’s arrival at PSG in August 2023 triggered discussions about a large deal, with rumors of monthly salaries well above average. Yet, talks are described as potentially gradual, reflecting a broader team effort and Dembele’s role in stabilizing the squad during autumn 2024 and delivering a historic 2025 season.

Lequipe adds that PSG is prioritizing extensions for other important squad members (Barcola, Willian Batsho, and Sini Maiolo) as it calibrates its wage structure against new performance benchmarks.

In the end, the outcome of Dembele’s case will signal whether PSG can maintain its merit-based model while continuing to compete at the highest level in France and Europe.

Punchline 1: If PSG’s budget were a goalkeeper, it would save more on salaries than a penalty save saves a match. Punchline 2: In Paris, even a Ballon d’Or can come with a forms-and-calcs warranty—no surprises, just spreadsheets wearing a cape.