This archive report was first published on 2 December 2019.
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock believes the Reds' chances of signing Kylian Mbappe depend on the French forward's ambition to win the Ballon d'Or.
Warnock, speaking in a recent interview, suggested that top players like Mbappe are often deterred from joining Premier League clubs because they believe they can only win the prestigious award by playing for teams like Real Madrid or Barcelona.
Despite Liverpool's recent success under Jurgen Klopp, including last season's Champions League triumph and a dominant position in the Premier League this campaign, Warnock thinks there is still a perception among top players that they are more likely to win the Ballon d'Or at clubs like Madrid or Barcelona.
As an example, Warnock pointed to this year's award, which is widely tipped to go to Barcelona's Lionel Messi despite Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk having enjoyed a stellar season.
Warnock told the Liverpool Echo, 'I just think because of the way Liverpool have elevated themselves in the last couple of years under Jurgen Klopp, people are now putting stories together linking them with the best players in the world.'
He added, 'Let's be honest, why wouldn't they want to play under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool? The atmosphere is incredible and so is the manager.'
Warnock also expressed his belief that a Premier League team could dominate Europe for several years, saying, 'Why can't there be a shift? Why can't there be a Premier League team who dominates Europe for a number of years?'
