By By Elizabeth Ugbo
Kylian Mbappe has revealed that he came close to joining Liverpool in 2016, when he was 18 and playing for Monaco, but chose Paris St-Germain after following his desire to remain in his hometown.
Liverpool Made a Serious Attempt for Mbappe
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp recalled the club’s efforts to sign Mbappe before his move to PSG.
Klopp said Liverpool arranged a private jet for Mbappe and his family during the negotiations.
The flight travelled from Blackpool to Nice, France, where the Mbappe family boarded the aircraft.
“We really went all out,” Klopp said.
“We flew around in a circle, talked with the family, ate good food.”
Klopp explained that the discussions showed how strongly Liverpool wanted the young French forward.
However, the meeting ultimately failed to convince Mbappe to move to England.
“He said they had not wanted to be seen having talks, but the meeting proved fruitless,” Klopp added.
“We flew in a circle. It was fantastic. And then he went to Paris.”
Mbappe Chose Paris Over Liverpool
Mbappe later explained why he rejected Liverpool despite coming close to joining the Premier League club.
“I was close to joining Liverpool. The favourite destination for my mum was Liverpool,” Mbappe said.
“She wanted me to go there. I didn’t listen because I wanted to play in my city, Paris.”
The France international said he wanted to remain in his country before establishing himself as a major football star.
“I didn’t want to leave my country before I was someone,” he added.
Mbappe also recalled his mother’s enthusiasm about Liverpool and Anfield.
“She was always saying, ‘Liverpool – you’re going to be there, playing at Anfield, it’s going to be insane for you’,” he said.
Mbappe’s Mother Visited Anfield
Mbappe revealed that his mother travelled to Liverpool during the early stages of negotiations.
She visited the city and Anfield before meeting people at the club.
“She went to the city, the stadium, she met the people,” Mbappe said.
“She was like, ‘it’s a wonderful club, everybody’s so kind, it’s a family club, a big club’.”
Mbappe also said his mother was a “big fan” of Klopp.
According to the Real Madrid striker, she wanted him to experience playing at Anfield.
“She went to Anfield and fell in love with it,” Mbappe said.
“She watched a few games alone, to feel the atmosphere, because she wanted to imagine me in this stadium.”
Klopp Recalls the Private Jet Trip
Klopp discussed the failed transfer attempt while working as a pundit during the 2026 World Cup.
He recalled how Liverpool arranged an unusual trip involving Mbappe and his family.
“The entire Mbappe family boarded a private jet with five rooms or something,” Klopp said.
He described the experience as an ambitious effort to persuade the teenager to choose Liverpool.
However, Mbappe ultimately decided that staying in Paris mattered more to him.
“It’s a funny story,” Mbappe said.
“But in the end, I took the decision to go to PSG.”
“For me, born and raised in Paris, there was no better feeling than to show I could be a star in my hometown.”
Mbappe Eventually Joined PSG
Mbappe eventually joined PSG on loan from Monaco in 2017.
The agreement included an option to make the transfer permanent for €180 million.
He then spent seven years in Paris and became PSG’s record goalscorer.
Mbappe left the French club in 2024 and joined Real Madrid.
His decision to remain in Paris therefore ended one of Liverpool’s most notable near-misses.
