18 January 2023 , 14:49
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Liverpool owner John W Henry previously held transfer talks with Kylian Mbappe on a private jet with the French superstar – who has once again been linked with a switch to Anfield.
Mbappe penned a new three-year contract at the Parc des Princes last year – ending prolonged speculation that he would join Real Madrid. It has now been claimed that PSG were prepared to listen to offers for the unhappy striker after, but only if it was the Reds.
The striker reportedly wants to leave PSG this year after the striker's future was once again thrust into the limelight in October. Mbappe subsequently refused to commit his future to the French champions – adding fuel to the fire that he may make a stunning exit this year.
Mbappe is into his sixth season at the Parc des Princes having joined from Monaco in 2017. Liverpool had tried to hijack a deal that year after Mbappe, then a teenage sensation spearheaded the Ligue 1 club’s run to the Champions League final four.
L'Equipe claimed that at this juncture, the striker held a two-hour meeting with Reds owner Henry on his private jet. They reported that Henry attempted to win over Mbappe and his family in the early months of 2017 by flying his private jet to Monaco and inviting them on board. They are said to have flown over the bay of Nice and its surroundings for two hours as they discussed his future before the Reds eventually missed out.
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Liverpool have sporadically been linked with an audacious move for the Frenchman in the years since. Boss Jurgen Klopp is a big admirer of Mbappe, who has emerged as a superstar and arguably the world’s most talented player.
Mbappe reportedly met Liverpool owner John W Henry on his private jet in early 2017 with his parents (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP) (Photo by YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images)Have Your Say! Will Liverpool ever sign Mbappe? Tell us what you think here.
Speaking before Liverpool faced PSG back in 2018, Klopp told RMC Sport: "I love him, to be honest. What a player he is and a nice lad as well, so he's a really good kid. What a player, what a player.
"Everyone knows him since he was 16, 17 when he impressed in Monaco's youth teams, and I saw videos of him when he was 17 and he destroyed defensive lines as he is doing now.
"He's at an unbelievable level of consistency at that age. He's an outstanding player, that's clear, but he can deliver, deliver and deliver, which shows he's really good educated boy and he knows what he is doing.”
Mbappe is reportedly keen to leave PSGWhen speculation ramped up surrounding Mbappe back in early 2021, Reds legend Jamie Carragher admitted he believed at the time Liverpool had a realistic chance of making the blockbuster signing.
"I'm not joking," Carragher told CBS Sports when asked why he felt the Reds had a realistic chance of signing Mbappe.
"It was based on the fact that Liverpool thought they had a decent chance of getting Mbappe when he was at Monaco. I know Jurgen Klopp had spoken to him then and I'm sure other clubs had at that time.
"When Liverpool were in the Champions League final and won the Champions League a couple of years ago, I think anyone watching Liverpool there with Jurgen Klopp and the support of Anfield, if you're ever gonna go to a club in England before you go to Real Madrid…
"Because I think he will, guaranteed, play for Real Madrid at some stage in his career but I’d always feel that maybe Liverpool is that perfect destination for a player like that before you make that next step."
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