Liverpool reportedly remain in regular contact with the entourage of Paris Saint-Germain attacker Kylian Mbappe amid ongoing speculation surrounding his future.
The World Cup winner is now free to open pre-contract talks with foreign clubs, having entered the last six months of his existing deal at the Parc des Princes.
Mbappe's terms with PSG include the option for a 12-month extension until the summer of 2025, but he made headlines across Europe when it emerged that he was refusing to trigger that clause.
After conceding defeat in their efforts to sell the 25-year-old during the summer window, PSG reintegrated Mbappe into the squad after he was briefly made to train with other unwanted players in a group dubbed 'the undesirables'.
The former Monaco protege has continued his prolific ways in front of goal this season, but there has been no change in his contract situation, and he will be available on a free transfer this summer unless he agrees to an extension.
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Liverpool and Real Madrid have long been regarded the two most realistic destinations for Mbappe should he leave his homeland, and it was claimed last Sunday that the striker had finally given the green light to a switch to Los Blancos.
However, Mbappe's camp quickly denied any agreement with Real Madrid, who have supposedly given the France international until the middle of January to make a final decision on his future before they pursue other targets.
While Real are still considered the outright favourites, L'Equipe claims that Liverpool remain in constant dialogue with his representatives, having tried and failed to sign him when he was a schoolboy before he signed up to the Monaco academy.
Prior to Mbappe's unforeseen contract renewal in 2022, Liverpool were also tipped to bring him to England, and the Frenchman is not believed to have closed the door on a Premier League transfer.
Even though Liverpool would not have to pay a penny to PSG if Mbappe was to depart on a free, the Reds would still have to cough up an enormous salary and signing-on fee to bring the 25-year-old to Anfield, funds which could potentially be raised by selling Mohamed Salah.
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During the final hours of the summer transfer window, Liverpool knocked back a £150m bid from Al-Ittihad for the Egypt international, whose agent has also repeatedly shot down reports of an exit from Merseyside.
However, Salah - who is currently representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations - is in the final 18 months of his Liverpool contract, and Saudi Pro League clubs are still believed to have him at the top of their transfer wishlist.
Meanwhile, another remarkable goalscoring season for Mbappe has seen the 25-year-old net 25 times in just 24 appearances, including a hat-trick in a 9-0 Coupe de France destruction of sixth-tier Revel last Sunday.
The France international sits at the top of PSG's all-time scoring charts with 237 strikes in 284 outings for the French champions, in addition to setting up another 101 goals.
Ben Knapton
