In a parallel universe, Kylian Mbappe proudly wears Liverpool’s renowned red jersey, effortlessly finding the back of the net. He stands on the cusp of surpassing Mo Salah’s goal-scoring record for the Reds and sets his sights ambitiously on breaking Ian Rush’s historic tally of 346 goals across all competitions.

However, in reality, Liverpool never truly had a realistic opportunity to secure the services of the French World Cup winner. Both PSG and now Real Madrid have presented financial packages that Liverpool simply couldn’t match.

Yet, there was a time when such a scenario didn’t seem entirely out of reach, particularly in the minds of Liverpool’s top decision-makers.

Consider that pivotal phone conversation with John W. Henry…

In 2017, it was reported that Mbappe participated in a two-hour meeting with Liverpool’s principal owner, John W. Henry, aboard his private jet, as per the Daily Star. This meeting formed part of Henry’s efforts to sway the young striker by personally discussing his future with him and his family.

Regrettably, despite the extensive discussion, the meeting did not yield the desired result, and Mbappe ultimately opted for PSG instead of a transfer to Merseyside.

In 2017, reports surfaced indicating that Kylian Mbappe had a two-hour meeting with John W. Henry, the principal owner of Liverpool, aboard Henry’s private jet, as reported by the Daily Star. This encounter was a part of Henry’s strategy to persuade the young striker by personally discussing his future with him and his family.

Unfortunately, despite the lengthy discussion, the meeting did not lead to the desired outcome, and Mbappe ultimately chose to join PSG instead of making a move to Liverpool.

Kylian Mbappe is poised to put an end to years of speculation regarding his future as he prepares to join Real Madrid. The French captain has long been linked with a move to Real, although rumors of a potential switch to Liverpool have also circulated.

Despite rising to superstardom in Paris, Mbappe’s career trajectory could have taken a different path. In fact, back in 2017 when he was a teenager at Monaco, he held discussions with Liverpool regarding a possible transfer.

Further talks occurred two years ago, with Mbappe revealing details to the Daily Telegraph, stating, “I talked to Liverpool because it’s my mum’s favorite club. My mum loves Liverpool. I don’t know why; you’ll have to ask her. It’s a great club, and we met them five years ago. When I was at Monaco, I met them. It’s a prestigious club.”

Jurgen Klopp was cautious when rumors resurfaced linking Kylian Mbappe to Liverpool last year, especially after it became apparent that he would be leaving PSG. Mbappe is on the verge of signing a five-year contract worth $16 million (£13 million/€15 million) at the Bernabeu, making a deal financially unfeasible for the Reds.

Klopp, speaking to Sky Germany, said, “I think he’s a really talented player, but the financial aspects make it impractical for us. I don’t want to spoil the story… but as far as I know, there’s nothing concrete about it.

“It’s possible that someone else from the club is working on something and wants to surprise me… but that hasn’t happened in the eight years I’ve been here. It would be a first.”

Liverpool’s FSG owners have been cautious about spending record sums of money over the years, and during his farewell event with supporters last week, Klopp again mentioned the French superstar.

“If Liverpool were a club with unlimited funds, you could sign whoever you wanted,” the 56-year-old stated. “Kylian Mbappe comes here, Bellingham comes here, Haaland comes here. But that’s not us. It doesn’t fit our ethos.”