Kylian Mbappé Reveals How Close He Came to Joining Liverpool — and Why He Chose PSG Instead

Photo Credit: File photo of former Liverpool coach, Jurgen Klopp and Kylian Mbappe.

Kylian Mbappé has opened up about how near he came to signing for Liverpool as a teenager, revealing that his mother strongly preferred a move to Anfield under Jürgen Klopp — advice he ultimately ignored in favour of Paris Saint-Germain.

The Real Madrid and France forward, speaking in a wide-ranging interview with The Athletic, said he was “close” to joining the Premier League club while still at Monaco. At the time he was just 18 and one of Europe’s most sought-after young talents following a standout campaign in Ligue 1.

“I was close to [joining] Liverpool. The favourite destination for my mum was Liverpool. She wanted me to go there,” Mbappé told The Athletic. His mother, Fayza Lamari (who also acts as his agent), was a big admirer of Klopp and the club’s atmosphere.

Mbappé explained his decision to stay in France: “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.”

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His mother even travelled to Merseyside during the early stages of negotiations. She visited the city, met people at the club, and attended matches at Anfield on her own. “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 said. She described Liverpool to him as “a wonderful club, everybody’s so kind, it’s a family club, a big club.”

Liverpool, then managed by Klopp, made a serious effort. Earlier in 2026, while working as a pundit for Magenta TV during the World Cup, Klopp recounted the lengths the club went to. He described arranging a private jet flight from Blackpool to Nice, where the Mbappé family boarded a plane “with five rooms or something.” They then flew in circles (to keep the meeting discreet), talked, and ate together. 

“We really went all out,” Klopp said. He later called it one of Liverpool’s most expensive non-transfers.

Despite the personal pitch from Klopp and his mother’s enthusiasm, Mbappé chose PSG. He joined on loan in 2017 before a permanent transfer reported at around €180 million. He spent seven seasons in Paris, becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer, before moving to Real Madrid in 2024.

The episode highlights how even the most carefully planned approaches can fall short when a young player prioritises personal and geographic goals. Mbappé has spoken positively about his respect for Klopp and the meeting itself, describing a strong relationship formed during those talks.

Sources: Interview with Kylian Mbappé published by The Athletic (September 2026); comments by Jürgen Klopp on Magenta TV during the 2026 World Cup.