Klopp reveals details of failed Mbappé transfer in 2017

Jürgen Klopp has revealed the extraordinary efforts Liverpool made in 2017 to sign Kylian Mbappé, including a private jet with five rooms and a flight in a circle to avoid being seen. The German manager shared the story during an interview with Magenta TV, recounting how the Reds pulled out all the stops to convince the then-Monaco starlet to join Anfield.

The secret meeting in the sky

According to Klopp, Liverpool organized a private plane from Blackpool to Nice to meet Mbappé and his family. The aircraft was unusually large, featuring five separate rooms. “It was a very big plane. We really went big,” Klopp said. Once in Nice, the entire Mbappé family boarded the jet for a flight that went nowhere in particular.

“We flew from Blackpool to Nice. In Nice, the whole Mbappé family got on board a private plane with five rooms or something,” Klopp explained. “Then we flew around in a circle, talked to the family and we ate good food. All of this happened… in the plane. We were NOT allowed to be seen. So we flew in a circle. It was fantastic.”

Mbappé’s mother and Liverpool connection

Mbappé himself has previously acknowledged his mother’s fondness for Liverpool. “I talked to Liverpool, the favourite club of my mum; she loves them!” he said. During the flight, Klopp and Mbappé were seen pointing at the player’s mother and laughing, a moment that has now been contextualized by the manager’s revelations.

The outcome: a costly non-transfer

Despite the lavish effort, the transfer did not materialize. Klopp described it as “the most expensive non-transfer we invested in.” After the circular flight and the family discussions, Mbappé ultimately chose to join Paris Saint-Germain. “We flew, ate, had good time… then he went to Paris,” Klopp concluded.

The anecdote underscores the lengths top clubs go to in pursuit of elite talent, even when the outcome is not in their favor. Liverpool’s 2017 pursuit of Mbappé remains one of the most intriguing “what ifs” in recent football history.