Kylian Mbappe, Captain of France's National Team, Acquires Ligue 2 Club SM Caen

France's national team captain, Kylian Mbappe, has made a significant move in the world of football by taking over as the majority shareholder of Ligue 2 club Caen. This announcement was made by Mbappe's company, Interconnected Ventures, in a statement released on Wednesday. The talented striker, who recently joined Real Madrid, had previously been close to signing for Caen when he was younger. Mbappe has acquired 80 percent of the shares in Caen through Coalition Capital, which is the investment entity of Interconnected Ventures. This move sees him replacing the US investment fund Oaktree as the majority shareholder of the club. Although the exact figure has not been officially disclosed, reports from French media suggest that Mbappe's acquisition fee was in the range of 15-20 million euros ($16-21.6 million). This bold move by Mbappe showcases his growing influence in the football world and his commitment to investing in the future of the sport. It will be interesting to see how his ownership of Caen will impact the club and its performance in the coming seasons.

"This transaction marks a significant step in the club's strategic development and reinforces its natural ambition to remain one of the most successful clubs in French football," the club said in a statement.

"This acquisition will provide Caen with additional strategic resources to strengthen its sporting policy, modernise its infrastructure and develop innovative projects."

Mbappe's close friend Ziad Hammoud will take over as chairman of the club.

"We are determined to create an environment where young talent can flourish and where the club can defend its identity with strength and ambition," Hammoud said in the press release.

The 25-year-old World Cup winner, who now becomes one of the youngest owners of a professional club, was courted by Caen when he was just 13, before he joined Monaco and then Paris Saint-Germain.

"You'd have to think that the time he spent at Caen in his youth left its mark on him! How proud we are to see a champion like @KMbappe investing in @SMCaen," the mayor of Caen Aristide Olivier posted on social media.

Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com

Founded in 1913, Caen finished fifth in the top flight in 1992 and reached the League Cup final in 2005 but have played in France's second tier since 2019.

(This story has not been edited by staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)