Kylian Mbappe has revealed how close he came to joining Liverpool while he was still an 18-year-old at Monaco.
Liverpool’s interest was particularly appealing to Mbappe’s mother, who was a fan of Jurgen Klopp and became convinced that Merseyside was the right destination for her son.
She visited Liverpool, met people at the club and attended matches at Anfield to experience the atmosphere. Mbappe said she “fell in love” with the stadium and repeatedly encouraged him to make the move.
Liverpool also arranged a private meeting with Mbappe and his family. Klopp later recalled that the family boarded a private jet in Nice while the manager presented his plans for the young forward.
“We really went all out,” Klopp said, recalling how they flew around the south of France, discussed the project and shared a meal while trying to keep the meeting private.
Mbappe remembers the unusual encounter, saying he and Klopp spent the flight discussing Liverpool’s plans.
He admitted he was interested, but ultimately had another priority: staying close to home.
“I didn’t listen because I wanted to play in my city, Paris,” Mbappe said. “I didn’t want to leave my country before I was someone.”
Instead, Mbappe joined Paris Saint-Germain from Monaco, initially on loan before the transfer became permanent for 180 million euros.
He spent seven years in Paris, becoming PSG’s record goalscorer and winning six Ligue 1 titles before moving to Real Madrid in 2024.
Looking back, Mbappe said his decision was driven by the opportunity to become a star in his hometown.
“For me, born and raised in Paris, there was no better feeling than to show I could be a star in my hometown,” he said.
