According to a report from Le Parisien, Real Madrid’s new star forward Kylian Mbappé (25) has acquired a majority stake in Ligue 2 side Stade Malherbe Caen. The France captain has reportedly paid €20m to take majority control of the Normandy-based side, and is set to become owner of the club alongside Pierre-Antoine Capton, president of the club’s supervisory board. He’ll become one of the youngest owners of a professional club in European football.
Whilst the France captain has chosen to continue his playing career in Spain, Mbappé has decided to take the plunge into the boardroom and take financial control of a side that finished 6th in Ligue 2 last season. Paris Saint-Germain’s record goalscorer almost made a move to Caen in 2012, before opting to join AS Monaco’s prestigious academy. But fast forward over a decade later, and the Frenchman looks to complete a deal to take control of the club by the end of 2024.
According to Le Parisien, the former PSG man now intends to take his first steps as a club owner “with moderation”. He reportedly aims to preserve the DNA of SM Caen, proceed step by step, and avoid the excesses often associated with high-profile new owners. Given his career, Mbappé will likely be very rarely present in Normandy in the coming years.
Ziad Hammoud, former Director of Strategy and Investments at BeIN Media Group and now CEO of Kylian Mbappé’s image company, is set to become the club’s president.