Mbappe Real Madrid contract details prove Liverpool move was impossible dream

Kylian Mbappe has already signed the deal to take him to Real Madrid upon expiry of his Paris Saint-Germain contract this summer.

The 25-year-old's future has been one of the biggest on-going sagas in world football. Speculation over his next move extends back years, with Liverpool one of the clubs linked as a possible (if unlikely) destination.

According to widespread reports — though not yet officially communicated by either club or player — Mbappe has now finally decided end his seven-season stay in Paris, in favour of a move to Real Madrid.

The switch to the Bernabeu has been seen as borderline inevitable for some time, with the France captain a known fan of the Spanish club who have, in turn, openly courted him over the years.

According to Marca, Mbappe and Madrid closed the five-year deal two weeks ago, with the superstar forward's move becoming official from the start of July.

The report claims that Mbappe will earn between €15-20m (£13-17m) a year net in salary, plus performance-related bonuses.

Those figures will make the former Monaco man the highest-earning player in the Madrid squad, while he is also set to bag a hefty signing-on bonus in lieu of a transfer fee.

Marca report that Mbappe will get a fee of 'slightly less' than €130m (£111m), while the BBC say he is due €15om (£128m) over five years.

The Frenchman is also set to retain substantial image rights.

Although the reported financial package represents a substantial pay-cut from his PSG deal which saw him earn as much as €72m (£60m) a year gross, the money on the table demonstrates why Mbappe was never a serious option for Liverpool.

Unrealistic for Liverpool

The forward was regularly linked to the Reds for a number of years for a variety of reasons.

Liverpool famously courted the star while he was still at Monaco, while he made comments praising Jurgen Klopp and his side in the press that drew attention.

Mbappe's mother is also said to be a fan of Liverpool and there was a report that claimed the forward's entourage reached out to Anfield bosses last summer, during a standoff with PSG.

However, the financial outlay was simply never viable for Liverpool, who operate within a strict wage structure.

Mohamed Salah, who last renewed his deal in 2022, is the Reds' all-time highest-paid player on around £350k a week gross pay.

That amounts to around £18m a year, or roughly what Mbappe will earn at Madrid after tax.

Considering the tax brackets for the highest earners in the UK, Liverpool would've essentially had to pay double Salah's salary in order to get Mbappe. And that is without taking into account the massive bonuses and signing-on fee, which, all in all, make Mbappe the most expensive 'free' transfer of all time.

With Liverpool already the fifth-biggest spenders on wages in Europe according to a recent report, such a huge outlay would surely have had massive ramifications on the balance sheet as well as squad harmony.

In addition, 31-year-old Salah, whose own future has been the subject of much speculation, is now leaning towards extending his stay at Liverpool, further pushing an Mbappe transfer into the realms of fantasy.

Despite the paper talk, the reality is one the Reds' FSG owners will have known for some time, with Mbappe — though unquestionably one of the best footballers in the world — little more than a pipe dream for Liverpool.

With the saga now (hopefully) over, the Reds' hierarchy can concentrate on continuing to do what they have done best in recent years, even after Jurgen Klopp leaves: developing world class talent, rather than simply buying it.