Klopp Reveals: Liverpool Sent Private Jet for Mbappé, History's Most Expensive 'Failed Transfer'

Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, during a commentary break in a World Cup quarter-final (France vs Morocco), disclosed a long-buried story: as early as 2017, the Reds invested heavily in an attempt to sign an 18-year-old Kylian Mbappé, even sending a private jet directly to the negotiations. He described it as the club's "most expensive but fruitless" transfer attempt.

At the time, Mbappé was emerging at Monaco, attracting interest from top clubs. Liverpool was no exception, and having Mbappé's mother as a Liverpool fan gave them a psychological advantage. Klopp revealed that the club put together a special team and flew from Blackpool to Nice for a meeting with the Mbappé family. "We put so much effort into this deal that didn't happen," he said. "The entire Mbappé family boarded that private jet with five rooms. Liverpool really gave it everything—we circled in the air, talked and dined with them, trying to stay under the radar as much as possible. It felt good, but then he went to Paris!"

Ultimately, Mbappé joined Paris Saint-Germain on loan with a €180 million (approx. £153 million) buy option, and moved to Real Madrid as a free agent in 2024. Mbappé himself admitted in 2022 that he had contact with Liverpool but said he only seriously considered Paris and Madrid. "I spoke with Liverpool because that's my mom's favorite club," he added. "It's a nice club, we met five years ago. But in the end, there were only two choices."