I was close to joining Liverpool in 2016 — Mbappe

n n

By Adegboyega Adeleye

n

Kylian Mbappe has revealed he was close to joining Liverpool in 2016, but turned down the move despite his mother’s strong desire for him to play at Anfield.

n

The France and Real Madrid striker made the revelation in an interview with The Athletic, recalling Liverpool’s attempts to sign him while he was playing for Monaco.

n

Mbappe said his mother was a big fan of former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and wanted him to move to Merseyside.

n

“I was close to [joining] Liverpool. The favourite destination for my mum was Liverpool. She wanted me to go there,” Mbappe said.

n

“I didn’t listen because I wanted to play in my city, Paris. I didn’t want to leave my country before I was someone.

n

“But yes, my mum was always saying, ‘Liverpool – you’re going to be there, playing at Anfield, it’s going to be insane for you’.”

n

The 27-year-old revealed that his mother even travelled to Liverpool during the early stages of negotiations, visiting the city and Anfield before meeting people at the club.

n

“She went to the city, the stadium, she met the people. She was like, ‘it’s a wonderful club, everybody’s so kind, it’s a family club, a big club’,” he said.

n

“She went to Anfield and fell in love with it. She watched a few games alone, to feel the atmosphere, because she wanted to imagine me in this stadium.”

n

Mbappe also recalled how he met Klopp during Liverpool’s efforts to convince him to join the club.

n

Former Liverpool manager Klopp had previously revealed that the club went to extraordinary lengths to negotiate with Mbappe and his family, including arranging a private jet for the meeting.

n

According to Klopp, the Liverpool delegation flew from Blackpool to Nice in France, where Mbappe and his family boarded the private jet.

n

“We really went all out. Then we flew around in a circle, talked with the family, ate good food,” Klopp said.

n

Mbappe recalled the unusual meeting with Klopp, saying they flew around while the former Liverpool boss explained his plans for him.

n

“I said to him, ‘You don’t need to convince me. You’re Jurgen Klopp, it’s Liverpool, a great club, so of course if I’m here, I have some interest. But I have other things, other projects, that are also good,’” he said.

n

Despite Liverpool’s efforts and his mother’s preference, Mbappe eventually chose Paris Saint-Germain.

n

“In the end, I took the decision to go to PSG because for me, born and raised in Paris, there was no better feeling than to show I could be a star in my hometown,” he said.

n

Mbappe joined PSG from Monaco on loan in 2017, with the deal including an option for the transfer to become permanent for €180 million.

n

He spent seven years at the French club, becoming its record goalscorer before leaving for Real Madrid in 2024.

n n