Liverpool missed out on the chance to sign teenage superstar Kylian Mbappe from Monaco in 2017, according to French publication L’Equipe.
The newspaper claims that Liverpool had genuine interest in bringing the 19-year-old to Anfield, but were unable to produce the required transfer fee.
Jurgen Klopp is said to have spent several hours in the France international’s company, and despite succeeding in charming Mbappe – and promising to make him the club’s joint-highest earner at the time alongside Philippe Coutinho – the German was unable to seal a deal.
The 5’8″ Mbappe [Source: Transfermakt] went on to sign for Paris-Saint-Germain on loan for the entirety of last season, before joining the French champions permanently for £166million.
OPINION
Well, Liverpool really missed the boat here didn’t they? Bringing Mbappe to Anfield would have been one of the greatest coups of all time. However it wasn’t to be, and the World Cup winner will now line up opposite Klopp’s men for PSG in the Champions League on Tuesday night. That must sting a bit for the German but he can take comfort in the fact that he has a pretty decent front line himself. There would simply have been no way for Liverpool to afford Mbappe’s eventual £166million transfer fee; the fact that PSG were able to remains somewhat suspect. You cannot deny, though, that it’s already looking like money well spent for Thomas Tuchel’s side. The 19-year-old is the next superstar of world football and PSG now have him locked down for as long as they want (unless Real Madrid come along and poach him that is).
