Kylian Mbappé Reveals Near-Miss Liverpool Transfer Before PSG Move
Kylian Mbappé has revealed in an interview with The Athletic that he came close to signing for Liverpool instead of Paris Saint-Germain when he left Monaco in 2018. The forward said his mother wanted him to join Jürgen Klopp’s side at Anfield, but he chose Paris instead so he could play for a club in his own city.
The Mbappé Liverpool PSG transfer story has never fully been told until now, and Mbappé has used the interview to explain exactly how close that move came to happening. He went on to spend seven years at PSG before eventually leaving the club.
Primary Source Attribution & Official Details
Speaking to The Athletic, Mbappé confirmed his mother had a clear preference for Merseyside over Paris. “My mum’s favourite destination was Liverpool; she wanted me to go there,” he said.
He expanded on how serious the interest was and on the relationship he built with Klopp along the way. “There was a time, when I was at Monaco, when I had to make a decision and I was close to joining Liverpool. My mum was a big fan of Jürgen Klopp, and he’s an amazing manager. I met him and I have a wonderful relationship with him. I have great respect for him.”
Despite that respect, Mbappé said the pull of home proved stronger than his mother’s wishes. “I didn’t listen to [my mother]. I wanted to go to my city, Paris. I wanted to play in my own country. I didn’t want to leave my country,” he explained, as reported by PSG Talk.
Squad Impact & Tactical Context
That decision in 2018 shaped the next seven years of PSG’s forward line, with Mbappé becoming the focal point of the attack almost from the day he arrived. Had his mother’s preference won out, the Mbappé Liverpool PSG transfer would have gone the other way, and Klopp rather than PSG’s coaching staff would have overseen his development through his most productive years.
Liverpool’s interest in players connected to the French capital hasn’t gone away since. We covered the earlier stages of their pursuit in our previous reports on Liverpool’s interest, and the two clubs have continued to do business at the top end of the market. Our coverage of the recent negotiations between the clubs over Bradley Barcola showed that link hasn’t cooled, even with Mbappé’s own move to Paris now firmly in the past.
For PSG supporters, the interview is a reminder of how differently the club’s recent history could have looked. Mbappé’s insistence on staying in his own country gave Paris seven years with one of the finest forwards of his generation, built almost entirely on a personal choice rather than a footballing one.
What Happens Next / Upcoming Timeline
The Athletic interview forms part of a wider feature on Mbappé’s career, and further extracts are expected to follow in the coming days. Mbappé has not commented on any current transfer matters as part of this reflection, and none of his remarks touch on his plans beyond PSG.
For now, the story serves as closure on a decision made eight years ago rather than a signal of anything new. Supporters can expect more detail from the full interview once The Athletic publishes it in complete form.
