Kylian Mbappe has revealed that he came close to joining Liverpool in 2016, with his mother reportedly pushing strongly for the move after falling in love with Anfield.
The France and Real Madrid forward was 18 and starring for Monaco when Liverpool attempted to sign him, with former manager Jurgen Klopp recalling the lengths the club went to in order to convince the teenager and his family.
Mbappe ultimately rejected the opportunity and chose to remain in France, joining Paris Saint-Germain instead.
Mbappe’s mother wanted Liverpool move
Speaking to The Athletic, Mbappe admitted Liverpool was his mother’s preferred destination after she visited the club and experienced Anfield for herself.
“I was close to [joining] Liverpool. The favourite destination for my mum was Liverpool. She wanted me to go there,” Mbappe said.
“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.”
Mbappe revealed that his mother travelled to Liverpool during the early stages of negotiations, visiting the stadium and meeting people at the club.
“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.
“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.”
Klopp recalls Liverpool’s big effort
Klopp also previously described Liverpool’s attempt to land the young forward, revealing that the club arranged a private flight for Mbappe and his family.
According to the former Liverpool manager, a flight travelled from Blackpool to Nice before the Mbappe family boarded a private jet.
“We really went all out. Then we flew around in a circle, talked with the family, ate good food,” Klopp said.
Liverpool hoped to keep the discussions away from public attention, but the meeting failed to convince Mbappe to move to England.
“We flew in a circle. It was fantastic. And then he went to Paris,” Klopp added.
Mbappe eventually joined PSG on loan from Monaco, with a deal that included an option to make the transfer permanent for €180 million.
He spent seven years in Paris, becoming the club’s record goalscorer before leaving for Real Madrid in 2024.
Looking back at the decision, Mbappe said his desire to represent his hometown ultimately influenced his choice.
“It’s a funny story,” he said. “But 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.”
