Mbappé reveals how close he came to joining Liverpool: his mum wanted him at Anfield

Kylian Mbappé has opened up about one of the most intriguing near-misses of his career: in the summer of 2017, at just 18 years old, he really was close to joining Liverpool. The French forward has explained that his mother and agent, Fayza Lamari, was a huge admirer of Jürgen Klopp and dreamed of seeing him play at Anfield. The move never happened because the player decided to stay in Paris and prove himself before leaving France.

• Mbappé met Klopp on a private jet over the south of France while he was at Monaco.
• His mother, Fayza Lamari, visited Anfield, attended matches alone and fell in love with the club.
• The forward says he had a wonderful relationship with Klopp and huge respect for him.
• He eventually chose PSG and stayed there until his move to Real Madrid in 2024.

The private jet meeting with Klopp

It all happened in the summer of 2017, when Mbappé was breaking through at Monaco and Europe's biggest clubs were fighting for his signature. Liverpool were no exception. The player has revealed that he held a private meeting with Klopp on board a private jet as they flew over the south of France, with Fayza Lamari also present.

Klopp tried to convince the young striker to choose Anfield instead of Paris Saint-Germain. Mbappé remembers those talks fondly: the connection was strong from the start and he always held the German coach in high regard. Klopp later described the trip as the most expensive player he never signed.

Mbappé's mother fell in love with Anfield

Fayza Lamari played a key role in those negotiations. According to the footballer, she travelled to Liverpool early on and was won over by how the club operated. She saw it as a warm, family-oriented place, but also as a genuinely massive club.

Her enthusiasm went even further: she went to Anfield on her own to watch several matches and soak up the atmosphere. She wanted to picture her son on that pitch. Every conversation ended the same way: as far as she was concerned, Mbappé had to join Liverpool. Her admiration for Klopp only strengthened that belief.

My mum was a big fan of Jurgen Klopp and her favourite destination for me was Liverpool. She wanted me to go there. I didn't listen because I wanted to play in my city, Paris. I didn't want to leave my country before I was someone.

Why Mbappé chose PSG over Liverpool

Despite his mother's insistence and his respect for Klopp, Mbappé had a clear idea in mind. Born and raised in Paris, he felt there was no better reward than proving he could become a star in his own city. Leaving France at that stage simply did not appeal to him.

The PSG deal was set up as a loan for the 2017-18 season, with a permanent transfer completed the following year. That decision shaped the recent history of French football: Mbappé spent seven seasons in Paris before joining Real Madrid in 2024. Liverpool, as Klopp recalled, were left with one of the most expensive signings they never made.

Fayza Lamari's influence on Mbappé's career

The story also highlights the influence of Fayza Lamari as an agent and central figure in the forward's decisions. Her advice did not win the day in 2017, but Mbappé's account shows how carefully she assessed every option, even travelling alone to understand what a club was really like.

That way of working, listening and seeing things first-hand, reflects how the family environment has guided the career of one of the most decisive footballers of his generation. His mother's preference for Liverpool was always on the table, even if the desire to succeed in Paris carried more weight at the time.

Where that decision left both sides years later

Mbappé achieved his goal at PSG: he left France as a global superstar with a trophy cabinet full of domestic titles. His move to Real Madrid in 2024 closed one chapter and opened another in which he could finally compete for the biggest European prizes away from Ligue 1.

Liverpool, meanwhile, followed their own path under Jürgen Klopp. They won the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020, cementing themselves as one of the most competitive teams in Europe. That failed transfer became a curious footnote shared by both parties.