The January transfer window has inevitably brought with it a resurgence of rumours and reports regarding Kylian Mbappe and Liverpool.
The 25-year-old is yet again among the headlines while the market is open, and speculation over a possible move to Anfield has surfaced once again, particularly with the France superstar now into the final six months of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain.
According to Marca, the forward is determined to reveal the decision on his future no later than the resumption of the Champions League in mid-February.
Meanwhile, Mundo Deportivo claimed (via Sport Witness) that Mbappe would be ‘given the king’s throne’ at Liverpool if he comes to Anfield, whereas he’d have to vie with the likes of Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham for top billing at fellow suitors Real Madrid.
The latter outlet added that the Frenchman would effectively be Mo Salah’s replacement and speculated that the Egyptian could leave Merseyside at the end of this season.
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Quite frankly, the constant reports about Mbappe and Liverpool are getting tiresome. Are there really that many Reds fans out there who genuinely believe that there’s a realistic chance of us signing a player with a market value of €180m (£155, via Transfermarkt) and whose weekly wage exceeds £1m (Capology)?
One of the hallmarks of Jurgen Klopp’s reign at Anfield has been the often indomitable team spirit he has forged. Whether it’s a marquee name like Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Thiago Alcantara etc., or a youth player breaking through into the first team, everyone contributes their fair share to the collective effort.
Therefore, how likely is it that the German would risk upsetting that harmony with an ambitious move for someone who’d seemingly need to be promised preferential treatment in order to entice him to Merseyside?
That Mbappe is a world-class footballer has long been placed beyond doubt, but Liverpool fans may ask legitimate questions over a player whose attitude has been questioned and who’s been accused of not putting in a shift for the good of the team.
The circus regarding the 25-year-old will continue apace for the rest of this month, and quite probably beyond January too. Despite all the outlandish claims about his future, though, we can surely take it as read that he won’t be playing for the Reds any time soon.
#Ep98 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones🎙️