Jurgen Klopp details Liverpool’s problem in pursuit of Kylian Mbappe

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter

Jurgen Klopp said he would be surprised if all the major clubs in Europe tried to sign Kylian Mbappe this summer – because most of them cannot afford to.

The France captain has told Paris Saint-Germain that he intends to leave at the end of the season, when his contract expires.

Mbappe, the scorer of a hat-trick in the 2022 World Cup final and a club record 243 goals for PSG, may be available on a free transfer, though PSG could trigger a one-year extension so any deal could involve a transfer fee.

Mikel Arteta has said Arsenal have to be “in that conversation” to sign players of Mbappe’s calibre, though the forward is expected to join Real Madrid.

But while Klopp is leaving Liverpool and is not playing a part in their recruitment plans, adding that he had “no clue” if it is certain the forward will sign for Real, the German believes Mbappe is too expensive for some of the biggest clubs.

“Obviously, I’m not involved in that, but I can tell you I’d be surprised if all the top clubs were [in for him],” Klopp said. “The top clubs I know, for most of them it will be tricky – wages, signing-on fee.”

Mbappe cost PSG €180m when they bought him from Monaco in 2017 while Real made a €200m bid for him in 2021 and Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal offered a world-record £259m last summer.

Kylian Mbappe looks poised to leave PSG this summer

(Getty Images)

The 25-year-old’s salary at PSG reportedly costs them €200m a year, potentially putting him out of reach for many clubs.