Liverpool rocked by Mbappe double blow: Man Utd offer ‘dream midfield’ and Arsenal promise trophies
Liverpool had been Kylian Mbappe ‘frontrunners’, but Man Utd’s ‘dream midfield’ and Arsenal’s trophy hoarding has changed things. Real Madrid are laughing.
French fancy
Jurgen Klopp has been unwaveringly consistent when it comes to his public assessment of Kylian Mbappe: a brilliant player Liverpool cannot afford.
In August he stated that “the financial conditions don’t suit us at all” with regards to a deal. The previous summer, the German said Liverpool “cannot be part of these battles”. As far back as December 2019, Klopp was openly stating that Mbappe was “too expensive”.
“What a player he is,” the manager said then. “It is about the money of course. No chance. Absolutely, no chance. Sorry for killing that story.”
Oh Jurgen. Silly, naive Jurgen. More than four years later and the story is stronger than ever. It will not die. You cannot kill it. Giddy Liverpool fans on social media are a sort of permanent life support.
And there are plenty of disgraceful, clickthirsty outlets out there which really should know better than to constantly exploit that perennial Liverpool transfer fever over a move everyone knows will never happen.
READ MORE: Liverpool target Mbappe reaches €80m ‘agreement’ amid ‘private’ talks at Prem giants over transfer
Sitting proudly, atop the Daily Mirror website, is this headline:
‘GOING IN FOR THE KYL! Mbappe agrees to sacrifice £69m as Klopp steps up transfer chase for wantaway PSG star – but Liverpool face fierce competition from Real Madrid’
And it is a strong start, as apparently ‘Kylian Mbappe has already agreed to forgo a loyalty bonus worth £69million in order to secure a more amicable exit from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, as Liverpool prepare to make their move.’
Nope. Mbappe has agreed to forgo his loyalty bonus if he leaves. As the Frenchman himself has said: “I haven’t made my decision yet. I haven’t made a choice. With the agreement I had with the president in the summer, my decision is not important as we managed to protect all the parties and preserved the serenity of the club for the challenges to come, which is the most important.”
The agreement hasn’t been reached between PSG and Mbappe to help the latter leave the former; it’s been made to “protect” the former in the event the latter leaves, which is far from guaranteed.
But the Liverpool line is most intriguing, as quite what the Reds ‘stepping up their transfer chase’ for Mbappe would entail is unclear.
The story itself hardly clarifies matters, stating only that ‘multiple reports over the winter have suggested that Jurgen Klopp’s Reds are now the frontrunners after holding previous discussions over a transfer’.
Mediawatch would love to see a single article claiming that Liverpool are favourites ahead of Real Madrid to sign Mbappe, or even second ahead of him staying at PSG. And given there are ‘multiple reports’ on how the Reds ‘are now the frontrunners’ in this race, that is surely not too much to ask.
There is one report; the Daily Mirror website’s most recent story on Mbappe, in fact. ‘Jurgen Klopp has already made Liverpool’s position on Kylian Mbappe transfer clear,’ it says here, included in which is this line:
‘Liverpool do not appear likely to sign Mbappe any time soon’
Oh.
And Klopp really did make Liverpool’s position clear in the summer: “We laugh about it. I can say that I think he’s a really good player but the financial conditions don’t suit us at all. I wouldn’t like to ruin the story now… but as far as I know, there’s nothing to it.”
Those financial conditions will be different when Mbappe’s PSG contract expires this summer and prospective buyers would not have to contemplate paying a ludicrous transfer fee, but structure-shattering wage demands, agent payments and signing fees still mean they won’t suit Liverpool whatsoever.
Klopp needn’t worry about “ruining the story” either way. Mbappe to Liverpool is the eternal transfer rumour.
Crist on a bike
Another story that cannot be ruined by context or actual facts is the idea that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS are already transforming Manchester United. The billionaire’s deal to buy a minority stake in the club has yet to be ratified by the Premier League and that process is expected to take a few weeks, but he is supposedly already calling the shots in the January transfer window.
He is not, of course. His team are carrying out an audit and plans to modernise certain aspects of the club have been widely reported, such as refurbishments of Old Trafford and the training ground.
But only the Daily Mirror website could frame that as ‘Man Utd will ‘listen to Cristiano Ronaldo’s advice’ a year on from infamous interview’.
The quote marks are quoting absolutely no-one and the Ronaldo ‘advice’ was nothing of the sort, just a petulant man-child blaming his situation on problems people were citing at the club years before he did.
The idea that Ronaldo’s comments have in any way even vaguely influenced upcoming changes is preposterous.
Serg of adrenaline
But there is news on what Manchester United will focus on in the winter transfer window.
‘MANCHESTER UNITED are looking to use the January market to strengthen at full-back. With the departure of Sergio Reguilon this week, left-back is now a top priority for the team’ – Steve Brenner, The Sun.
Well Manchester United themselves activated a break clause in the loan agreement before saying in a statement on their official website that Reguilon ‘fulfilled the role he was brought in for: to provide cover for Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia while both were out with long-term injuries’.
That cover is no longer needed with Shaw and Malacia returning after the winter break. So why are we pretending Manchester United will make signing a new left-back a ‘top priority’ just because they have just sanctioned the exit of a back-up player in that position?
Dream on
Over at the Manchester Evening News, ‘Erik ten Hag could be about to unleash his dream midfield at Manchester United’.
And Ratcliffe should probably consider sacking Ten Hag now (or when he actually has the power to make such decisions) because if the manager’s ‘dream midfield’ – his dream midfield – consists of Kobbie Mainoo, Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, then that feels sub-optimal.
Kyl switch
And just to a) tie things together in a nice bow and b) leave you with something to laugh at long into the afternoon, here is the Manchester Evening News again with this:
‘Mbappe, Rabiot, Koke – Best players Man United can sign for free in January’
Mediawatch’s deepest sympathies go out to the ‘can’ in that headline, and the unthinkably heavy lifting it has been asked to undertake.
‘Real Madrid look most likely to sign him but until it is officially announced, there is still a chance,’ it says here. And once they pitch playing ahead of that ‘dream midfield’ to him, Mbappe will be practically begging to join.
Taking the Mik
Actually no, this is even funnier.
‘Kylian Mbappe drops huge Arsenal transfer hint with clear Premier League title ambitions’
The prospect of Mbappe joining Arsenal is, in itself, not more ridiculous than him moving to Manchester United. Not at all. But Football.London‘s interpretation of this ‘huge Arsenal transfer hint’ issued by the Frenchman is incredible.
‘Mbappe may well have hinted at a move and his ambitions that could drive a transfer in the coming months ahead through a social media post.
‘When posting a picture of himself with the Trophee Des Champions, the French equivalent of the Community Shield, he said: “Hungry for more.” It suggests that if a move is on the cards, then it would have to include the promise of trophies in the future, including the Premier League title.”
The same Premier League title Arsenal have not won for two decades. And if trophies are going to be the driving force in Mbappe’s decision then a club that has only lifted FA Cups and Community Shields in his conscious lifetime probably needs to step out of that race.
READ MORE: Kylian Mbappe leads list of best players available on a free transfer in summer 2024
