Liverpool have turned down the chance to sign one of the world's best players
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Liverpool have reportedly refused the option to sign Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer, despite his representatives making contact with the club last year.
Mbappe's contract at PSG expires this summer, leaving him free to leave the French capital come the end of the season. He is able to negotiate with clubs outside of France, too, with a number of sides linked with his signature.
Real Madrid are in the hunt, while PSG are hoping to retain the 25-year-old for another few years at least. Liverpool have also been touted as a possible destination for Mbappe, but that seems unlikely as fresh details come to light.
Mbappe might not have as many options as he first thought (Image credit: Getty Images)
According to The Independent, Mbappe's representatives contacted Liverpool last year over a possible move. The Reds refused to make an offer for the Frenchman, though, due to his inevitable wage demands breaking their wage structure at the club.
Mohamed Salah is currently Liverpool's top earner, with the Egyptian earning a staggering £350,000 per week. While that is a great amount, Mbappe is reportedly demanding around £1.15m per week at whichever side he joins - or renews with - this summer. That's on top of a £150m signing-on fee that the Frenchman would want to pocket himself, in place of a transfer fee.
Despite Salah's wages, Liverpool have a clear financial strategy in place after their star player. Virgil Van Dijk earns £220,000 per week and is the next highest earner at Anfield, with just Thiago Alcantara to break the £200k mark. That will likely change in the summer, too, with the midfielder set to leave the club on a free.
Salah is currently Liverpool's top earner (Image credit: Getty Images)
The report also suggests that Arsenal are unwilling to break their wage structure to land Mbappe either, who would welcome a move to north London in order to emulate his fellow countryman Thierry Henry.
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It seems, therefore, that Mbappe's only options are to renew with PSG, sign for Real Madrid without the guarantee of the superstar status he seemingly craves, or lower his wage demands to join a Premier League side.
Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.
