Borussia Dortmund attempted to sign Kylian Mbappé in 2016. The global star, now at Real Madrid, has confirmed the club's interest and explained his reasons for turning down the move at the time. "There were many clubs, Dortmund too," Mbappé said in an interview. The then 17-year-old was available on a free transfer in the summer of 2016 after his breakthrough season at AS Monaco, as former BVB scout Sven Mislintat also revealed in a podcast. Dortmund, who currently lead the Bundesliga with 12 points from four games, missed out on a generational opportunity.

Why Mbappé stayed in France

Mbappé explained he was not ready to leave his homeland back then. He wanted to stay close to his family in Paris and needed a familiar environment to feel comfortable. That's why he decided to remain at Monaco initially before moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017. The Frenchman was aware of his development path and preferred to take his next step in a known setting.

Klopp's attempt and Mbappé's admiration

Not only BVB, but Jürgen Klopp also tried to recruit the striker for Liverpool FC. In 2017, a private meeting even took place between manager and player on a private jet. Mbappé has always expressed great admiration for the former Dortmund boss. "I would have really liked to join him back then," admitted the 27-year-old, calling Klopp one of the best managers of the last 20 years whom every professional wants to play for.

Mislintat's regret over missed chance

Sven Mislintat, who was responsible for BVB's scouting department at the time, spoke openly about the missed opportunity. In a Kicker podcast, he called it a "shame" that the club couldn't gain access to the talent who was available on a free transfer in summer 2016. Mbappé's career skyrocketed afterwards: after Monaco and PSG, he eventually moved to Real Madrid and became one of the world's most expensive players.

While this story belongs to the past, Borussia Dortmund are writing a successful one in the present. Edin Terzić's team is on a five-game winning streak to start the season and leads the table by two points ahead of Bayern Munich. The next test is a home match against eighth-placed Werder Bremen on October 9th.

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