Forget Messi - why Mbappe could be destined for Liverpool
Stefan Bienkowski
- Updated: 16 Aug 2021 09:16 BST
- 4 min read
Paris Saint-Germain may be delighted with their recent business in the transfer business but a storm seems to be brewing on the horizon.
Not only are fans growing wary of Kylian Mbappe’s reluctance to sign a new contract with the Ligue 1 side - with some taking to booing the striker in Saturday’s league opener against Strasbourg - but it seems as though the player himself may be on the verge of drawing a line under his time at PSG.
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According to La Parisien, Liverpool are keeping close tabs on the striker’s intentions for the coming season and indeed after that and could swoop for one of Europe’s most cherished young stars if the opportunity presents itself.
And, when all factors are considered, a move to Anfield for the France international may not seem as unlikely as first thought.
Liverpool may have cash to burn>/H2>
While Jurgen Klopp and his backroom staff would never openly admit it, the club will undoubtedly need to make a decision on the future of both Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah at the end of the season.
By that point both strikers will be entering the final year of their contracts and unless the Anfield club signs both up to new deals - which seems unlikely due to both turning 30 next year - it would seem as though next summer would be a good time to cash in on both talents.
As such, that would not only leave an opening for a new striker in Klopp’s front line but also the financial boost to offer Mbappe the contract he would want, following his own departure from PSG at the end of his contract in 2022.
Mbappe is running out of options
It’s easy to imagine that every club in Europe will take a stab at enticing Mbappe to their respective corner of the continent, but on paper there are very few sides that will be in a position to offer the France striker an appealing contract and project next summer.
Assuming he decides to leave PSG, Mbappe will have very few options to pick from. Real Madrid haven’t made a serious signing in 18 months, as their squad grows older and more brittle by the season, while clubs in Italy and Germany will struggle to afford the striker’s salary demands.
That leaves England, where Chelsea have just signed Romelu Lukaku, Manchester City are on the cusp of signing Harry Kane and Manchester United have made Jadon Sancho their blockbuster signing up front.
As such, Liverpool may be one of the few clubs with the financial means and space in their team to offer Mbappe a sensible project to join in 12 months time.
He’s a huge Klopp fan
Since Liverpool don’t have the same transfer budgets as Man City, Chelsea or Man Utd, the club has to rely on the appeal of Klopp and the style of football his side’s play. And that certainly seems to be something that could entice Mbappe to Anfield.
Speaking in 2020, the striker struggled to hide his admiration for the way Klopp’s side won their Premier League title in 2019/20.
“This season, Liverpool have been a machine in the Premier League,” said the French striker. “They have made winning look easy but the truth is that it is never easy.
“Performances like they have been having don’t just happen. To be as ruthless as they have been would come from lots of hard work in training and from having a very good manager.”
Perhaps Klopp, more than any financial or sporting incentive, could be what convinces Mbappe that a move to Anfield is his best option in the coming years.
