When Kylian Mbappe stunned Real Madrid and extended his Paris Saint-Germain stay in May, growth was the operative word.
"I am convinced that here I can continue to grow within a club that gives itself all the means to perform at the highest level," the Frenchman said. "I am also very happy to be able to continue playing in France, the country where I was born, grew up and flourished."
Considering the amount Mbappe has achieved already in his career, it is easy to forget he doesn't turn 24 until December. There is still plenty of room for the former Monaco man to grow, and - amid reports he is keen to leave the Parc des Princes - Liverpool will surely be keeping a close eye on developments.
Back in May, Real Madrid had looked like the most likely destination for Mbappe. The Spanish club had seen a bid knocked back the previous summer, but the forward's contract in Paris was on the verge of expiry, freeing him up to take his pick of clubs on the continent.
Instead, though, he walked out onto the pitch at the Parc des Princes and dropped a different bombshell. He confirmed he was going nowhere.
"I am very happy to stay at PSG in France," the forward said. "I always said Paris is my home, I hope we continue to play football and win trophies together. Thanks for everything. I hope that I will continue to do what I prefer to with you all… and win titles together! Thanks a lot."
So, let's address the claims one by one. Is Paris still his home? Yes. Has he continued to play football? Yes, but in a role which is far from his favourite. Has he demonstrated growth? If the latest reports are to be believed, not yet by any stretch of the imagination.
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While Real Madrid may still consider themselves front-runners, Liverpool are well aware of Mbappe's fondess for them. Indeed, both the club and their manager Jurgen Klopp were praised by the forward during their run to the Premier League title in 2020.
"This season, Liverpool have been a machine in the Premier League," he said. "They have made winning look easy but the truth is that it is never easy.
"Performances, like they have been having, don't just happen. To be as ruthless as they have been would come from lots of hard work in training and from having a very good manager."
The prospect of a move to Anfield is far from a new one for Mbappe. Indeed, back in 2017, there were efforts to bring him to Liverpool from Monaco before PSG won the race.
"We talked a little bit, but not too much. We talked a little bit," Mbappe told The Telegraph earlier this year, before admitting the Merseyside club were not in the mix in the weeks before his PSG extension. "I talked to Liverpool because it's the favourite club of my mum. My mum loves Liverpool.
"I don't know why, you will have to ask her! It's a good club and we met them five years ago. When I was in Monaco I met them. It's a big club.
"Of course, it was between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in the end. Everybody knows I wanted to leave for Real Madrid last year and I think it was a good choice to leave last year. But now it's different because I was a free agent."
The fondness is two-way, though. And, if Liverpool are to challenge Real Madrid for the signing, it will be in keeping with Klopp's earlier comments about the frontman.
"Of course we are interested in Kylian Mbappe, we are not blind," the Liverpool boss said. "We like him and if you don't like him then you have to question yourself.
"But, no, we are not and we cannot be part of these battles. There must be other clubs involved and that is fine. He is a great player."
Klopp's Liverpool haven't tended to bring in finished articles in attack, instead recruiting those who are on an upward trajectory but with more to give. That was certainly the case with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, while Diogo Jota grew into a star after a £41m move which prompted some questions over the price tag.
Mbappe is by no means at a similar stage of his career to any of those men, and as a result would command a far heftier price tag. Still, if there is room for him to grow beyond the already high bar he has set, can we rule anything out?
