The £17million Kylian Mbappé fronted takeover deal could have implications for Sunderland’s transfer hopes

Real Madrid’s star Kylian Mbappé has reportedly acquired a majority stake in Ligue 2 side Stade Malherbe Caen.

According to a report from Le Parisien, having now returned from the European Championships in Germany, the French attacker has purchased a stake in the club after it had run into financial difficulties.

The 25-year-old France captain has reportedly paid €20million (approximately £17million) to take majority control of the Normandy-based side. Mbappe looks likely to become the new owner of the club alongside Pierre-Antoine Capton, who acts as president of the club’s supervisory board.

Mbappe will become one of the youngest owners of a professional club in European football alongside Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, who is 27. The deal for Mbappé to take over Caen could also have a knock-on impact on the Black Cats.

Reports in France have suggested that the family of Mbappé are holding up Alexandre Mendy’s move to Sunderland. The Mbappé family reportedly want to speak to the striker to convince him to stay.

Mendy scored 22 goals in 37 league appearances for Caen in Ligue 2 and netted 19 goals in the same division during the previous campaign. The striker joined Caen from Bordeaux in 2020 and has played in France his whole career after coming through the ranks at Nice.

Sunderland are said to have launched several bids for the striker in recent weeks who recently delivered an interview stating he would prefer a move to the North East over Saudi Arabia. However, it appears that Mbappé’s takeover at Caen may have muddied the waters.