I was close to joining Liverpool in 2016 - Mbappe

[Direct summary of what happened]

Kylian Mbappé has revealed he nearly completed a move to Liverpool back in 2016. The France forward also said his mother was an admirer of Jurgen Klopp and had wanted him to head to Merseyside.

Mbappé’s admission — part of a wider conversation about his early career — will reignite the perennial “what if?” debate around one of modern football’s most high‑profile transfers. The prospect of the young Frenchman playing for Klopp’s Liverpool instead of moving on the route he did remains a tantalising alternate history for fans and pundits alike.

Why It Matters

This revelation matters for several reasons. First, it underlines how finely poised football careers can be at the point of teenage development: a single phone call, a family preference or a delayed negotiation can change the course of a player’s career and reshape club trajectories. Second, it reopens discussion about how elite clubs identify and secure exceptional young talent — and how Liverpool, a club that has enjoyed enormous success under Jurgen Klopp, narrowly missed out on a generational player. Finally, it highlights the reality that transfer outcomes are not solely down to player preference but are influenced by family, agents, timing and the financial muscle of rivals.

For Liverpool supporters it’s a reminder of near-misses that could have altered the composition of Klopp’s front line. For the wider game, Mbappé’s account is a case study in the modern transfer market’s unpredictability and the way reputations — of managers, clubs and families — can sway potential moves.

[Relevant background / context subtopic]

Mbappé’s rise was meteoric. He emerged as a teenager in the Monaco first team, where his pace, finishing and composure marked him out as one of Europe’s brightest young forwards. That breakthrough season drew interest from the continent’s biggest clubs and eventually led to a record‑breaking move to Paris Saint‑Germain.

Liverpool in 2016 were themselves in transition under Klopp, in the middle of building a high‑energy pressing side that would later contest and win major honours. The Anfield project had obvious appeal to young attacking players: a passionate fanbase, a manager famed for improving players, and a tactical system that prized pace and aggression. Those factors make Mbappé’s near‑move believable — Klopp’s teams have historically suited dynamic forwards who thrive in high‑tempo systems.

However, the transfer market is a chessboard of competing interests. Clubs like PSG could offer immediate, substantial financial packages and an assurance of a starring role in a title‑contending side. For a young Frenchman with family close to the politics of the game, those elements weigh heavily. Mbappé’s ultimate arrival at PSG — first on loan, then in a permanent, record fee move — framed him as the centrepiece of a project specifically built around him, a path that offered different guarantees than a move to England.

It’s also worth noting the tactical fit. At Liverpool, Mbappé might have slotted into a front three or been developed into a centre‑forward role, but Klopp’s system relies on collective pressing and intense defensive work from attacking players. Mbappé’s ball‑carrying ability and directness would have offered Liverpool a new dimension, yet the responsibilities of Klopp’s wide forwards are distinct from a more central, star‑man role he was offered elsewhere.

The story also feeds into the broader narrative about how clubs compete for youth. Elite clubs maintain global scouting networks, but the final decision often comes down to relationships: how persuasive a manager is, how a club presents a plan for the player, and, crucially, the player’s family and personal advisors. Mbappé’s mother expressing a preference for Klopp underlines that human element.

What Happens Next

Practically, this revelation changes nothing immediate on the transfer front: Mbappé’s career path is set and history cannot be rewritten. But its significance lies in the renewed scrutiny it brings to recruitment philosophy and how clubs sell themselves to teenagers and their guardians. Expect Liverpool’s scouting department and supporters to revisit the near‑miss as a lesson in timing and persuasion, while other clubs will use such anecdotes as reminders to court young prospects holistically — not just with wage offers but with clear developmental blueprints and personal engagement.

For Mbappé, the anecdote functions as a reminder of the alternatives that shaped his choices. It may not alter his intentions, but it will continue to feed speculation whenever his future is discussed. For Liverpool, it is a “what could have been” that underlines the fine margins of elite sport — and perhaps galvanises renewed efforts to secure top talent early.

On a broader level, the story is likely to be absorbed into the folklore of the modern game: a headline‑friendly scenario that will surface whenever transfer windows open and fans ask how history might have looked if a single decision had gone another way. Managers who cultivate strong personal relationships with players and their families will be reminded why that work is as important as scouting reports and spreadsheets.