Liverpool could one day be a more realistic transfer destination for Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe than other Premier League clubs, according to French football expert Jonathan Johnson.
Writing exclusively for CaughtOffside, the Ligue 1 journalist suggested there was next to no chance of Mbappe joining Chelsea this summer while they’re out of Europe, despite some recent transfer rumours to the contrary, while he also cast doubt over the France international moving to Manchester United even if they end up under Qatari ownership.
Johnson did, however, feel that there could be some prospect of Mbappe moving to Liverpool if they can get back to their best and return to the Champions League in the near future.
Johnson acknowledged a historical interest from the Merseyside giants, and also admitted that he personally felt the move could work out well for Mbappe.
Overall, though, the journalist was in no doubt that Mbappe’s preference by a long way is Real Madrid, and that they are also a club who really want him.
“In terms of a possible departure in the future, you can’t really rule anything out, but the club that Mbappe absolutely wants to play for and the club that absolutely want him is Real Madrid, and there is now an opening with Karim Benzema having left, which was unexpected,” Johnson explained.
“With the Premier League, I wouldn’t say it’s impossible, but any links at the moment with Chelsea are laughable at this moment in time. Yes, Chelsea have the money to make something happen, but it’s definitely a non-starter while they’re out of the Champions League.
“There’s the potential Qatari takeover at Manchester United which could perhaps create a pathway for Mbappe to move there in the future, but the last couple of years for the club haven’t been any better than PSG’s in terms of how the club is being run – I don’t think that makes the atmosphere around the club conducive to success.
“Personally, if it was for me to pick a perfect destination for him in the Premier League, I think Liverpool would be a more realistic move. Again, they’re not in the Champions League next season so it’s a non-starter for this summer, but they’re a club who’ve had a historical interest in him, so if they get back into the Champions League next summer, and are challenging for the Premier League again, that could potentially be an option for him again in the future.
“But overall, there’s no getting away from the overall feeling that the most likely destination for Mbappe at some point, whether it’s this summer, next summer, or a couple of years away, is Real Madrid.”