Kylian Mbappe has opened up on his 2017 discussions with Liverpool over a potential transfer and his relationship with former Reds manager Jurgen Klopp.
There have been many 'What if...' transfers in football over the years, but one of the biggest ones in modern football was Kylian Mbappe to Liverpool.
It has been discussed on a few occasions since the move failed to materialise, with Klopp even going into detail about the lengths the club went to in a bid to secure the French superstar from Monaco.
But how close was this transfer to completion, and was landing a future superstar at the time in Kylian Mbappe a real possibility for LFC?
How Close Was Mbappe to Liverpool Move?
Back in 2017, Kylian Mbappe was one of the brightest young talents in world football, with many believing that he would go on to have a special career at the elite level.
At just 18 years old, the French forward had quickly developed a reputation for being a quick, clinical and very well-rounded player, able to play on the left wing and through the middle.
REUTERS/Violeta Santos MouraHe graduated from the Monaco academy and made an immediate impact on the first team. In his first full season playing senior men's football, Mbappe registered 26 goals and eight assists across 44 games in all competitions.
This sensational goalscoring record caught the eye of all of Europe's elite sides, with the top two candidates for Mbappe's signature being PSG and Liverpool.
The Reds at the time were just over a year into Jurgen Klopp's reign, and in the 2016/17 season, they finished 4th in the league and were looking to build upon this strong finishing position.
The German manager was convinced that Mbappe was going to be a star and that the club needed to try everything they could to bring the future World Cup winner to Anfield, and so they did.
REUTERS/Heiko BeckerMbappe, his family, his agents, FSG (the Liverpool owners) and Klopp himself all went on a plane and circled the sky, attempting to avoid anyone finding out about their secret negotiations.
Jurgen Klopp then spent hours explaining his plans and project for LFC in the future, and where Mbappe would fit into these plans.
And despite the French superstar's mother favouring a move to Merseyside for her son, given the love she had for the club and Jurgen Klopp, Mbappe chose PSG, with the desire to play in his home city and country as one of the main deciding factors that led to the £165.7 million move to the Ligue 1 giants.
What Has Mbappe Said About Turning Down A Move To The Reds?
Mbappe has since moved to Real Madrid on a free transfer after a seven-year stint with PSG, where he won six league titles and a number of domestic cups, but has not yet won the Champions League, something he will be hoping to achieve in Madrid.
REUTERS/Alejandro Martinez VelezBut he has been speaking to The Athletic and has gone into detail about the talks with Liverpool and the respect and love he has for former Reds boss Jurgen Klopp:
“I had to take a decision. And yes, 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.
"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. But yes, my mum was always saying ‘Liverpool – you’re going to be there, playing at Anfield, it’s going to be insane for you.’ I was like, ‘OK!
"She went there (for) the first step of the negotiations. She went to the city, she went to the stadium, she met the people. She was like, ‘It’s a wonderful club, everybody’s so kind, it’s a family club, a big club
"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.
"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!’ because Jurgen Klopp was an amazing manager. I met him and had a wonderful relationship with him. I had big respect for him."
Comment Below: Who Do You Think Would Have Made Way In The Famous Mane, Firmino, Salah Trio, In Order For Mbappe To Fit Into That Liverpool Team?
