Kylian Mbappe is reportedly on the verge of becoming the owner of a football club in his home country, with the Real Madrid star close to agreeing a deal to take over Ligue 2 side SM Caen.
Mbappé left France this summer after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expired. He then completed his high-profile move to Real Madrid on a free transfer, where he was presented in front of 80,000 fans at the Santiago Bernabeu earlier this month.
Despite his departure from Ligue 1, Mbappe appears set to remain in French football. Reports suggest he is close to completing a €20 million ($21.6 million) move to second-pision club SM Caen.
Caen finished fifth in Ligue 2 last season, last playing in Ligue 1 during the 2018/19 season.
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My new home. Hala Madrid! ?️?? @Real Madrid image.twitter.com/2XWvNTgNqQ
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) July 17, 2024
According to French newspaper Le Parisien, negotiations have been underway for weeks and an agreement is expected to be reached soon.
The deal would see Mbappé acquire a majority stake from US investment fund Oaktree Capital, which has held an 80% stake since 2020.
Pierre Antoine Capton, current chairman of the supervisory board, is expected to retain his 20% stake.
Meanwhile, Oaktree Capital is shifting its focus to Inter Milan, which it recently took control of. If the deal goes through, Mbappé would become the owner of SM Caen at just 25 years old.
Why would Mbappé care about Caen? Well, they almost signed him when Mbappé was just 13. His father had agreed to the move, but the deal fell through when Caen were relegated from Ligue 1 in 2012, leading to Mbappé signing for Monaco.
The report also mentioned that Mbappé and his family have maintained a good relationship with Caen, paving the way for this acquisition.
They plan to appoint Ziad Hammoud, formerly of BeIN Media Group and current manager of Mbappé’s image company, as president of the club.
Mbappé aims to focus on youth development while also helping to preserve the club’s identity.
