Kylian Mbappe reveals how close he came to joining Liverpool in 2017

Kylian Mbappe has revealed how close he came to joining Liverpool as a teenager, with his mother making secret trips to Anfield before deciding that Paris Saint-Germain was the right move.

Mbappe recalled a private meeting with then-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in 2017, when he was starring for AS Monaco and attracting interest from several of Europe’s biggest clubs.

The meeting took place on a private jet that flew from Blackpool to Nice, where Klopp met Mbappe and his mother, Fayza Lamari, who is also his agent.

Klopp reportedly spent several hours trying to convince the 18-year-old to choose Liverpool over PSG.

Mbappe admitted that he was genuinely tempted by the Premier League move, particularly because his mother was a big fan of Klopp.

“It was while I was playing in Monaco,” Mbappe told The Athletic. “I had to make a decision. 

“And yes, I was close to Liverpool. My mum was a big fan of Jurgen Klopp, and her favourite destination was Liverpool. She wanted me to go there.”

Despite her preference, Mbappe ultimately chose PSG. His decision was largely influenced by his desire to remain in France and continue his development close to home.

“I didn’t listen because I wanted to play in my city, Paris,” he said.

“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.”

Mbappe also spoke warmly about his relationship with Klopp, describing their meeting as a memorable experience and expressing his admiration for him.

“All the time we were talking,” he added. “‘What do you think, mum?’ She’d say, ‘you have to go to Liverpool. I said, ‘okay, okay, okay’ because Jurgen Klopp was an amazing manager. 

“I met him and had a wonderful relationship with him. I had big respect for him.”

The discussions were private for years until the former Liverpool manager revealed details of the meeting during an interview earlier this year.

Mbappe has since established himself as arguably the best player in the world, even before his free transfer to Real Madrid.