Kylian Mbappe has opened up on one of the biggest transfer decisions of his career, revealing just how close he came to joining Liverpool before choosing Paris Saint-Germain.
The France superstar was only 18 when Liverpool made a serious attempt to sign him from Monaco in 2017.
It was not a casual approach.
Liverpool went all out to convince the teenage forward, with then-manager Jürgen Klopp personally involved in the discussions.
And Mbappe’s mother was apparently even more impressed by what she saw.
The striker revealed that his mother travelled to Liverpool, visited Anfield and watched matches because she wanted to picture her son playing at the iconic stadium.
She eventually became convinced that Liverpool was the perfect destination for him.
“It was while I was playing in Monaco. I had to take a decision. And yes, I was close to Liverpool. My mum was a big fan of Jürgen Klopp and the favourite destination for my mum was Liverpool. She wanted me to go there.
“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. 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.’ I was like, ‘OK!’
“She went there [for] the first step of the negotiations. She went to the city, she went to 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.’
“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.
“All the time we were talking. ‘What do you think, Mum?’ She’d say, ‘For me, you have to go to Liverpool.’ I said, ‘OK, OK, OK!’ because Jürgen Klopp was an amazing manager. I met him and had a wonderful relationship with him. I had big respect for him.”
Klopp has previously revealed how far Liverpool went in their pursuit of the young Mbappe, describing it as one of the club’s most expensive transfer attempts that ultimately did not result in a signing.
The former Liverpool boss recalled how the club’s representatives flew from Blackpool to Nice to meet Mbappe and his family on a private jet.
Mbappe remembered the extraordinary meeting and revealed that he spent time in the air while Klopp explained his vision for the player.
“I remember we were on the plane and we were turning around and around in the air while he was explaining his project,” Mbappé said.
“I said, ‘You don’t need to convince me. You’re Jürgen 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.’
“I said to him, ‘Whatever decision I take is going to be a good decision because we are talking about some of the biggest clubs in the world.'”
Despite Liverpool’s huge effort, Mbappe ultimately chose PSG.
For the teenager, staying in France and representing his hometown carried a significance that no transfer pitch could overcome.
“It’s a funny story. 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 home town.”
Mbappe first spoke publicly about Liverpool’s interest in 2022, although he said PSG and Real Madrid were the two clubs he seriously considered at the time.
He eventually joined PSG on loan from Monaco, with the move later becoming permanent for €180 million.
The rest became football history.
Mbappe developed into one of the world’s biggest stars in Paris before leaving for Real Madrid in 2024.
His career has also produced major international success, including winning the 2018 World Cup with France as a teenager.
The Liverpool move never happened, but Mbappe’s latest revelation shows just how close Anfield came to becoming the setting for the next chapter of his extraordinary career.
His mother had already fallen in love with Liverpool.
Mbappe simply chose home.
Toosin is a dedicated sports writer with a strong background in crafting engaging and insightful content. With experience at Goal, he has developed a sharp editorial sense and a refined storytelling approach that brings depth and perspective to sports journalism. His passion for the game goes beyond the headlines, as he captures both the excitement of the sport and the compelling human narratives behind each event. Toosin’s work resonates with a broad and diverse audience, making global sports stories accessible, relatable, and impactful.
