Liverpool are the third favourites for Kylian Mbappe in a three-horse race for his signature – but there's still optimism that he could join this summer.
The youngest World Cup final scorer since Pele is a free agent this summer. After Paris Saint-Germain rejected a mammoth £137m bid from Real Madrid last summer, Mbappe stayed put to run down his contract and, we all assumed, join Los Blancos a year later.
As recently as January, it seemed as if that was still the case. PSG forward Mbappe has been linked with Liverpool in the past: the Reds buying Luis Diaz, however, seemed to end their long-standing links with the French forward, not least because there were rumours that Mohamed Salah wanted proof that Liverpool would strengthen before he signed a new contract. But a few months are a long time in football.
So how could Liverpool sign Kylian Mbappe?
Salah still hasn't signed that elusive new deal with Liverpool. The Reds are just a few games away from their talismanic goalscorer being on the last year of his contract. Likewise, Mbappe's future is still up in the air: and that's according to the man himself.
"There are new elements, a fair amount of factors to take into account," Mbappe said after yet another barnstorming performance at the weekend. "Like I’ve said, it’s not an easy decision. I’m trying to make the best one along with those close to me."
When quizzed if he could, after all, remain in the French capital, Mbappe replied "Yes, of course."
So if Liverpool are going to lose Mohamed Salah, why not go for Mbappe as a direct replacement?
The pros and cons
Mohamed Salah is 30 in June. While he will be demanding a contract to reflect the last five years he's given to Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp will be very lucky if his next five years at Anfield are as prolific. Liverpool could so easily give those wages to a 23-year-old in Mbappe.
Mbappe harbours the ambition to one day join Real but there's no reason that he can't do that later in his career – as PSG themselves have told him in their attempts to keep him in Ligue 1. His hero, Cristiano Ronaldo, moved to the Premier League, after all – and it may service his career a little better to be playing under a better manager, in a more high-profile league.
Should Liverpool tempt Mbappe to Merseyside, there could be a domino effect that would favour them nicely, too. Real Madrid would love to sign both Mbappe and Erling Haaland but are prioritising Mbappe. As one of rumoured two clubs left chasing Haaland, however, they would almost certainly secure him as a plan B – leaving the other, Manchester City, empty-handed.
The only issue is that Mbappe is not a like-for-like replacement for Salah. He may demand higher wages, for a start, while on the pitch, he operates in Luis Diaz's role and could have to shift onto the right.
It's certainly one to ponder for Jurgen Klopp – but a player that seemed well out of his grasp might not actually be quite as unattainable as he first thought.
For a limited time, you can get five copies of FourFourTwo for just £5! The offer ends on May 2, 2022.
