Mbappé: “I was close” to joining Liverpool in 2016

Liverpool’s push

Kylian Mbappé has revealed he was “very close” to joining Liverpool back in 2016, in comments reported by BBC Sport. The forward says the Reds tried to sign him when he was 18, while he was still playing for Monaco in Ligue 1.

Anfield won over his mum

Mbappé adds that his mother was the driving force. In an interview with The Athletic, he explained that she was a “big fan” of Jurgen Klopp and wanted him to move to Merseyside. He also said Klopp’s Anfield pitch worked on her personally: she visited the city and the stadium as part of the “first step” in the talks, then returned with the feeling that it was a “wonderful club”.

Klopp’s private jet story

Klopp, who discussed the possible move on Magenta TV during the 2026 World Cup, described the lengths Liverpool went to. According to him, they even took a private trip from Blackpool to Nice, with Mbappé’s family onboard a private jet and time for meals and conversation—though the meeting did not lead to a deal.

In the end, Mbappé went to PSG, a move BBC Sport notes included a loan arrangement and an option to make it permanent for 180 million euros. Mbappé later spent seven years in Paris before leaving for Real Madrid in 2024.