Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has revealed that he came close to joining Liverpool in 2017 before deciding to remain in France.
Mbappe attracted interest from several top European clubs following his breakthrough season at Monaco, with Liverpool among the clubs keen to secure the services of the highly rated French youngster.
Liverpool manager at the time, Jurgen Klopp, reportedly arranged a meeting with Mbappe’s mother as the club explored the possibility of signing the forward.
Mbappe’s mother later travelled to England, visited Anfield and attended Liverpool matches, developing a strong affection for the club.
However, Mbappe ultimately decided to remain in France, joining Paris Saint-Germain on an initial loan deal in 2017 before completing a permanent move to the Parisian club the following year.
Speaking to The Athletic, Mbappe revealed that his mother had favoured Liverpool because of her admiration for Klopp.
“I was close to Liverpool. My mum was a big fan of Jurgen Klopp and the favourite destination for my mum was Liverpool. She wanted me to go there,” Mbappe said.
The France international explained that he chose to stay in France because he wanted to continue playing in his hometown of Paris and did not feel ready to leave the country at the time.
He also recalled how his mother visited Anfield to experience the atmosphere and imagine him playing for Liverpool.
“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,” he added.
Mbappe also praised Klopp, describing him as an “amazing manager” and expressing his admiration for the former Liverpool boss.
The revelation offers a glimpse into how close the forward came to beginning his career in the Premier League before choosing to remain in France and establish himself at PSG.
