Mbappe Buys Majority Stake in French Second Division Club Caen

Jakarta, Todaysgist.com – Interconnected Ventures, the company owned by Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe, has bought a majority stake in French second division club Stade Malherbe Caen (FC Caen), for a reported €15 million (Rp. 264.3 billion).

The French national team captain acquired 80% of Caen’s shares through Coalition Capital, an investment entity of Interconnected Ventures, replacing the previous majority owner, Oaktree from the United States.

Neither Interconnected Ventures nor Mbappe personally have disclosed details of the share purchase and the acquisition cost to take control of Caen. However, several media outlets in Europe reported that Mbappe spent around 15-20 million euros.

“This transaction is a significant step in the club’s strategic development and strengthens the ambition to remain one of the most successful clubs in French football,” said Caen’s official statement as reported by AFP on Wednesday (31/7/2024) local time.

Caen added in its official statement that this acquisition will provide the club with additional strategic resources to strengthen its sports policy, modernize its infrastructure and develop innovative projects.

Interconnected Ventures CEO and Mbappe’s close friend, Ziad Hammoud, will take over as chairman of Stade Malherbe Caen.

“We are determined to create an environment that supports the growth of young talents and the club must be able to maintain its identity with strength and ambition,” Hammoud said in a press release.

The acquisition makes Kylian Mbappe, who is only 25 years old, the youngest owner of a professional football club.

Interestingly, Mbappe almost joined Caen when he was 13. However, he ended up choosing AS Monaco’s football academy at the age of 14.

“You can’t help but think that his time spent at Caen as a youngster has left a lasting impression on him! How proud we are to see a champion like @KMbappe investing in @SMCaen,” Caen Mayor Aristide Olivier wrote in a social media post.

Stade Malherbe Caen, founded in 1913, finished fifth in the French top flight in 1992 and reached the Coupe de la Ligue final in 2005. However, they were relegated to the second division in 2019.