Kylian Mbappe has disclosed that his mother, Fayza Lamari, strongly favoured his move to Liverpool in 2017 instead of Paris Saint-Germain. At the time, the France captain was weighing offers after emerging as a standout talent at AS Monaco, where he made his debut at 16. Liverpool, Real Madrid, and PSG were all pursuing him, with Jurgen Klopp personally engaging in recruitment efforts. Klopp met Mbappe and his mother on a private jet that flew from Blackpool to Nice, spending hours mid-air attempting to convince the teenager to join the Anfield club. Mbappe confirmed he was close to joining Liverpool, saying, "Yes, I was close to Liverpool." His mother, a fan of Klopp, visited Liverpool, toured Anfield, and attended matches alone to absorb the atmosphere, later describing the club as "a family club, a big club" with kind people. She repeatedly urged her son to choose Liverpool, insisting it would be "insane" for him to play there. Despite her efforts and her role as his agent, Mbappe chose to stay in his home city, stating, "I didn't want to leave my country before I was someone." He acknowledged Klopp's stature, calling him an "amazing manager" and praising their rapport, but prioritized playing in Paris. The decision kept him in France, where he eventually signed with PSG.
Mbappe's mother invested significant emotional effort into envisioning his career at Liverpool, even scouting Anfield personally. Her preference carried weight, yet the final decision reflected Mbappe's personal ambition over familial expectation. No African or Nigerian player was involved in the events described.
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