Kylian Mbappe Says He Talked to Liverpool Before Signing New PSG Contract

Timothy Rapp @@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVMay 23, 2022

PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 23: Kylian Mbappe of PSG during a press conference - along President of PSG Nasser Al Khelaifi - about his new contract with Paris Saint-Germain at the auditorium of Parc des Princes stadium on May 23, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by John Berry/Getty Images)

John Berry/Getty Images

Superstar forward Kylian Mbappe revealed on Monday that Real Madrid wasn't the only club he considered signing with this upcoming offseason before he decided to stay with Paris Saint-Germain last week.

Liverpool were also in the running, though a distant third.

"We talked a little bit, but not too much. We talked a little bit," Mbappe told Jason Burt of the Telegraph. "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."

Mbappe's decision capped off a year-long pursuit from Real Madrid as PSG fought to keep him and was one of the biggest stories heading into the summer, alongside Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland's next team (he chose Premier League champions Manchester City).

Paul Hayward @_PaulHayward
Kylian Mbappe isn't the first to be paid to stay. Man Utd paid Wayne Rooney not to join Man City. But this feels different. It's a message to the old order: sovereign wealth now runs the show.

Miguel Delaney @MiguelDelaney
Amazing to think Mbappe signing for *Madrid* would have been better for football. Any player being paid this much, where only state clubs can compete, is a bad precedent for football. That was always the Qatari aim - raise fees/wages to such a point only a few clubs can compete.

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Liverpool, who finished just one point shy of Man City in the EPL title race and is seeking its third trophy of the 2021-22 season at Saturday's Champions League final against Los Blancos, would have been quite the juggernaut had Mbappe chosen to lead the line.

The Reds already feature the devastating duo of Mohamed Salah and Madio Sane on the wing. Salah was the joint Golden Boot winner in the Premier League, tying Tottenham's Son Heung-Min with 23 goals, and also led the league with 13 assists.

Mane, meanwhile, chipped in with 16 goals (fifth in the EPL) and two assists. Add in Diogo Jota (15 goals, four assists), and Liverpool already have one of the most clinical front threes in world football.

But Mbappe would upgrade any attacking unit on the planet. He led Ligue 1 in goals (28) and assists (17) and added six goals and four assists in eight Champions League contests.

It was no surprise that Real Madrid went full press to land him, even putting aside transfer funds in previous seasons to make room for a massive transfer to secure his services.

Mbappe even left open the possibility of joining Real Madrid in the future:

BBC Sport @BBCSport
Kylian Mbappe says he won't rule out a move to Real Madrid in years to come. 🗣 "You never know what can happen in the future" Watch his interview and read more here ⤵️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BBCFootball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BBCFootball</a>

Fabrizio Romano @FabrizioRomano
Kylian Mbappé: “Message to Real Madrid fans? I wanna say thank you, as they always accepted me as one of them”. ⚪️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mbapp%C3%A9?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mbappé</a> “I understand their disappointment, and I hope they understand I decided to stay in my country”.

But PSG, despite facing the possibility of losing Mbappe on a free transfer this summer, turned away Los Blancos' reported €200 million last August. It was an enormous gamble, as Mbappe grew up a Real Madrid supporter, and PSG turned away astronomical figures without a guarantee he'd return.

But return he did, breaking the hearts of Real Madrid—and to a lesser extent, Liverpool—supporters in the process.