As the transfer season heats up, Kylian Mbappé, the 25-year-old Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star, has discussed rumors about his imminent departure from the club. Despite entering the last six months of his contract, allowing him to negotiate pre-contract agreements with other European clubs, Mbappé insists that he hasn’t made a decision yet.

Given the unusual circumstances surrounding the expiration of Mbappé’s contract, his potential transfer is expected to be one of the most significant in recent football history, especially considering there will be no transfer fee involved (though there will be a lot of other costs, including a mammoth signing-on fee). Earlier this week, Le Parisien reported that Liverpool was among the sides keen to sign the attacker in the summer.

Both Arsenal and Chelsea have been facing challenges with their striking force in the first half of the 2023/24 season and are on the lookout for new talent as well. They have been linked with Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen, but mid-season deals seem increasingly unlikely, and Football.London reports that the pair have both been linked with Mbappé as well.

However, plans changed swiftly and Mbappé has since played a crucial role in Enrique’s first season, scoring 18 goals in 16 games. Now, PSG seems to have no option but to let its star player go unless another dramatic U-turn is made.

Real Madrid is the most likely destination for Mbappé. But The Athletic has previously reported that PSG will do everything in its power to prevent him from moving to Santiago Bernabéu after relations between the two sides broke down.

As of now, there’s no evidence to suggest that Liverpool, Arsenal or Chelsea are preparing for life with the former Monaco man. But given the unique nature of the situation, they will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on developments.

Liverpool.com says: The best-case scenario for Liverpool would be that Kylian Mbappé goes to Real Madrid because he would at least be playing outside of the Premier League. There is next to zero chance that the Reds would be able to afford the signing of the PSG superstar because of the finances involved.

Liverpool transfer priority might have changed thanks to $20m deal and Jürgen Klopp switch

January is not expected to be a busy month for Liverpool but there are still transfer decisions to be made. But the priority may have changed since summer 2023.

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Alexis Mac Allister and Jürgen Klopp during a Liverpool training session (Image: Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Liverpool is not expected to be busy during this transfer window, though the links with various players are certain to continue. A signing from Jürgen Klopp’s side should not be 100 per cent ruled out, but it is likely to be a quiet month in terms of incomings.

Fábio Carvalho has already been recalled from his loan spell with RB Leipzig because he was not getting enough game time, but he is expected to depart again with various clubs interested in a temporary deal. Rhys Williams was brought back from Aberdeen today and Owen Beck has returned from Dundee but none of these moves are likely to be significant game-changers.

More substantial moves in the transfer market are likelier to come in the summer when Liverpool will have a couple of players out of contract and will be hoping to build on this season. Not signing a defender this month is a gamble when four trophies remain up for grabs, but Liverpool is equally right not just to sign anyone: it has to be the right addition.

This week, a new name emerged as someone that Liverpool was watching with the ECHO reporting interest in Genoa’s 22-year-old Danish defensive midfielder Morten Frendrup. But should a holding midfield signing still be a priority for the Reds? Here, two of our Liverpool.com writers have had their say.

“The money can be spent elsewhere” – Matt Addison

Liverpool clearly didn’t plan on using Alexis Mac Allister as a holding midfielder when he signed for the Reds. Why else would they have then made such a big play for his former Brighton teammate Moisés Caicedo?

But while getting in a defensive midfield was enough of a priority to submit an out-of-character $140m (£110m/€128m) bid for the Ecuadorian, the landscape has changed significantly since then. Mac Allister has played the role and while there have been moments when it hasn’t worked, in the main, the Argentine is perfectly suited to the deeper-lying position. His pass into Diogo Jota on Monday proved why he has such an upside and it isn’t the first time this season.

While Mbappé’s move isn’t expected until summer when he can leave PSG freely at the end of his contract, preparations can be initiated now with a pre-contract agreement. However, the two-time World Cup Golden Boot winner is not rushing things. He stated: “I haven’t made any decision on my future. I didn’t make a choice. Nobody talks about my situation inside the club, it’s not a topic.”

These sentiments were echoed by PSG’s head coach Luis Enrique earlier in the week. Enrique had initially excluded Mbappé from his squad for the pre-season tour of Japan following a dramatic turn of events. After Mbappé decided not to activate a one-year extension in his deal that would bind him until 2025, PSG planned to sell him off to prevent losing him for free.

When Liverpool is able to control matches, Mac Allister is perfect for the number six berth. Thiago Alcântara might well depart at the end of his contract but Mac Allister can be his replacement. Stefan Bajčetić will hopefully be over the injury issues that have held him back as well, and Liverpool has been very careful not to stand in the way of his progression. And then there is Wataru Endō, who was signed for a reasonable $20m (£16m/€19m) to add squad depth.

Of course, if a Rodri-like pivot player suddenly became available on the market and Liverpool went for him, that would make sense. But I’m not sure that such a player exists. Given that is the case, the money can be better spent elsewhere. Liverpool will need a defender and perhaps another attacking midfielder. With Mac Allister, Bajčetić and Endō, there are more than enough options.

“A number six can get more from Alexis Mac Allister” – James Findlater

The immediate priority for Liverpool has to be a defender, and it seems the club realizes that, with Frendrup being monitored for the rest of the season. Should he adequately impress during that time, then why not take the plunge?

Mac Allister and Endō have performed well in the number six berth this season, but are either really going to be long-term options in that position? The former clearly wasn’t brought in for that role, while the latter will be 31 at the start of next season.

Mac Allister will likely continue as the number six this season, certainly at least for the short term while Endō is at the Asian Cup, but I’d still like to see him move into the position he was bought to fill during the summer. A signing like Frendrup, or any other number six, would free Liverpool up to finally release Mac Allister in his natural position.

Frendrup might need to do a bit more convincing during the rest of the campaign, but when he’s being referred to as ‘the best ball-winner in Serie A’ by the very same league, you have to sit up and take notice. He could be the ideal heir to Fabinho’s throne.