Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has claimed he tried to sign Kylian Mbappe during his time in charge of the Reds, but ultimately missed out on him.
The German enjoyed nearly nine legendary years at Anfield between 2015 and 2024, winning the Champions League and Premier League, as well as many other trophies along the way.
During that period, Klopp made some stunning signings, from Mohamed Salah to Virgil van Dijk, helping turn Liverpool into one of the best teams in Europe.
But one player who the Reds missed out on was Mbappe before he joined Paris Saint-Germain as a teenager back 2018, with Klopp revealing his pursuit of him to Magenta TV [via Ben Jacobs on X]:
“We flew from Blackpool to Nice. In Nice, the entire Mbappe family boarded a private jet with five rooms. We really went all out. Then we flew around in a circle, talked with the family, ate good food. We couldn’t be seen. We flew in a circle. It was fantastic. And then he went to Paris!”
One of the great missed transfer opportunities for Liverpool
It goes without saying that Mbappe would have been a remarkable signing by Liverpool, proving to be one of the best players of his generation, if not the best.
The Frenchman has been world-class at both PSG and Real Madrid, combining electric pace with relentless end product, and he is arguably the favourite to win the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup.
Ultimately, Klopp did all he could to snap up Mbappe, trying to sell the idea of Liverpool to him, but his mind appeared to be made up on joining PSG, which is a shame.
But had Mbappe signed, Liverpool would never have had the iconic attacking trio of Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, in what was one of the most potent and balanced units in football history.
That’s not to say failing to sign Mbappe wasn’t a huge missed opportunity, though, and we could well be talking about him as a true Reds great had he been there during the Klopp era, potentially breaking records in the manner Salah has.
