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Former Liverpool ace Steve McManaman says he’d love to see Kylian Mbappé signed by the Reds, but admits the chances of such happening look extremely unlikely.
The 23-year-old France international is expected to leave PSG for Real Madrid in the summer, but there have been a few suggestions this week that if a proposed move collapses, that Anfield could become a destination for the highly-rated player.
Speaking to HorseRacing.net, Macca said: “Everybody you speak to in Madrid, and every person you speak to in France, says Kylian Mbappé is going to join Real Madrid. It’s just a matter of getting their Champions League tie out of the way. Of course he could join Liverpool but the fact that you’d have to pay him £1 million a week, I just don’t think it’s going to happen!
“Kylian Mbappé is the best player in the world at the moment. I know Mo’s had a great season. Lewandowski has too. But when you look at the heir apparent to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Mbappé’s the one you’d pick, because of his age and his dynamism.
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“I’d love Liverpool to get him but I’m a realist. When I look at it, the only place I can see him turning up is at Real Madrid and I think the deal is probably already done.
“Liverpool aren’t crying out for Kylian Mbappé, the way he plays and the position he plays. If they lose a couple of the centre-forwards, then yes. But I just can’t see it happening and they’ve just brought in Luis Díaz and they’ve now got five forwards. I just think it would be surreal if they went for another one.”
Staying with Diaz, Macca added: “It’s very early days but it will be difficult for Luis Díaz to emulate Mo Salah’s success at Liverpool. When Mohamed Salah came into the club initially, he wasn’t known as the goal scoring machine which he’s turned out to be. When you consider who Mo is up there with in terms of the club’s other great goalscorers such as Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen, it’s phenomenal in itself.
“Regarding Luis Díaz, you don’t want to put pressure on players but he looks a real Liverpool type player and suits the way that Jurgen Klopp wants them to play. He’s aggressive, hunts the ball down, he’s quick with the ball and he gets goals. He’ll certainly get lots of goals but I doubt he’ll get near Mohamed Salah as Liverpool now have more options up front and there’s going to be more of an opportunity to chop and change.”
Meanwhile, there have been suggestions that if Real Madrid are unable to broker a deal for Mbappé in the summer, that they will instead focus on a move for Liverpool’s Mo Salah.