Jürgen Klopp has revealed he tried to sign Kylian Mbappe at Liverpool, while the Frenchman was still at AS Monaco. The German coach was disappointed to see the forward move to Paris Saint-Germain despite his best efforts.
Speaking on MagentaTV during France's FIFA World Cup quarterfinal win over Morocco, Klopp claimed that his move to sign Mbappe was the most expensive non-transfer in Anfield history. He recalled hiring a private plane to travel to France and hold talks in midair with the Frenchman's family, as they did not want to be spotted anywhere.
The former coach revealed that it was a massive plane with five rooms, and that they flew in circles, enjoyed good food, and held talks. He said:
“The most expensive non-transfer we [Liverpool] invested in. We flew from Blackpool to Nice. In Nice, the entire Mbappe family boarded a private jet with five rooms or something. We really went all out. Then we flew around in a circle, talked with the family, ate good food. We couldn't be seen. It was fantastic. We flew in a circle and then he went to Paris!” (via Ben Jacobs)
PSG paid a whopping €180 million to sign Kylian Mbappe from AS Monaco in 2018. They agreed the deal in 2017, with the striker joining them on a season-long loan before making it permanent.
Kylian Mbappe confirmed talks with Liverpool
Kylian Mbappe confirmed in an interview with The Telegraph in 2022 that he held talks with Liverpool. He did not disclose the date of the talks, but said that the Reds were in the mix as they were his mother's favourite club.
The Frenchman added that he was at AS Monaco, which aligns with Klopp's recent comment about their attempt to sign the striker. He said:
"We talked a little bit, but not too much. We talked a little bit. I talked to Liverpool because it’s the favorite club of my mum; my mum loves Liverpool. I don’t know why, you will have to ask her! It’s a good club, and we met them five years ago. When I was in Monaco, I met them. It’s a big club."
The Reds were also linked with a move for Kylian Mbappe in 2024, when he was a free agent. However, the forward opted to join Real Madrid, as they were his dream club from the very start. The striker had a trial at Chelsea in his teenage, but was not signed by the Blues.