Jurgen Klopp has lifted the lid on one of Liverpool’s most extraordinary transfer missions, revealing how the club once tried to convince teenage superstar Kylian Mbappe to choose Anfield before he became one of the biggest names in world football.
The former Liverpool manager made the revelation while working as a television pundit during France’s World Cup quarter-final victory over Morocco. Speaking live on German broadcaster Magenta TV, Klopp recalled how close Liverpool came to signing Mbappe in 2016, when the forward was still a dazzling teenage talent at Monaco.
At that stage, Mbappe was already being tracked by Europe’s biggest clubs. His explosive pace, calm finishing and fearless confidence had marked him out as one of the most exciting young players in the game. Liverpool, with Klopp fully behind the idea, decided to make a serious move.
Klopp described the pursuit as the club’s ‘most expensive non-transfer’, explaining that Liverpool went to remarkable lengths to keep the talks secret. According to him, a delegation flew from Blackpool to Nice before Mbappe and his family joined them on a private plane. Rather than landing and attracting attention, the group stayed in the air, flying in circles while Liverpool made their pitch.
The secrecy was deliberate. Because of the sensitivities involved in trying to speak to a player attached to another club, Liverpool did not want their meeting to become public. Klopp joked that the plane was impressive, with several rooms on board, and said they talked with the family while enjoying good food during the airborne meeting.
Jurgen Klopp (left) once boarded a private jet from Blackpool to try and sign Kylian Mbappe
The pair reminisced after Mbappe fired France into the 2026 World Cup semi-finals in Boston
But despite the lavish effort, Liverpool did not get their man. Mbappe eventually chose Paris Saint-Germain as his next destination, initially joining on loan before the French giants completed a deal worth around £165million.
It proved to be one of football’s great sliding-doors moments. Mbappe went on to become a global superstar in Paris, winning the World Cup with France in 2018, reaching another final in 2022 and scoring a famous hat-trick in that Qatar showpiece. He later continued his rise as a Real Madrid player and remains one of the defining talents of his generation.
For Liverpool fans, Klopp’s story is both fascinating and painful. The idea of Mbappe developing under Klopp at Anfield, possibly alongside the team that later conquered Europe and England, is the kind of what-if that will haunt supporters for years.
There appeared to be no bitterness between the pair. After France’s win over Morocco, Mbappe went over to Klopp on the sidelines, where the two shared laughs and embraces. Klopp was even seen blowing a kiss towards Mbappe’s family, a playful reminder of the private-jet meeting that almost changed football history.
Klopp recalled meeting a teenage Mbappe and his family on a private jet that flew in a circle
Mbappe had just played another decisive role for France, scoring the opening goal before setting up Ousmane Dembele for the second as Didier Deschamps’ side booked their place in the World Cup semi-finals. His latest strike also put him level with Lionel Messi on eight goals in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot.
With 20 goals in 20 World Cup matches, Mbappe’s record is already extraordinary. Liverpool once tried everything to bring him to Anfield, but the story ended with one of the most glamorous near-misses of the Klopp era.
