Kylian Mbappe's Mother Favored Liverpool Move, But Paris Beckoned

Kylian Mbappe has disclosed that he nearly joined Liverpool in 2016, a move his mother actively supported due to her admiration for then-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. Despite Klopp's efforts to secure the transfer, including secret meetings, Mbappe ultimately chose to stay in France and sign with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Mbappe, speaking to The Athletic, recounted that the decision to join Liverpool was a significant one while he was playing for Monaco. "My mum was a big fan of Jurgen Klopp and the favourite destination for my mum was Liverpool. She wanted me to go there," he said. He explained his reasoning for not following his mother's preference: "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."

His mother had reportedly visited Liverpool, toured the city and stadium, and met with club personnel. She described the club as "wonderful," "so kind," and a "family club." She even attended matches at Anfield to help visualize her son playing there. "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!'," Mbappe recalled.

Klopp himself had previously shared details of the pursuit, describing it as "the most expensive non-transfer that we (Liverpool) invested in." He recounted a secret meeting with the Mbappe family in 2016, which involved a private jet flight from Blackpool to Nice. The plan was to keep the recruitment efforts clandestine, as Klopp stated, "We weren't allowed to be seen. We flew in a circle. It was fantastic."

Following this period, Mbappe opted to join PSG, initially on loan, before the club made the move permanent for a reported £165 million. His career trajectory since then has seen him achieve global superstardom, including winning the World Cup with France in 2018, reaching the final in 2022, and scoring a hat-trick in that final. He eventually joined Real Madrid in 2024.