Revealed: Kylian Mbappe's involvement in Caen's transfer decisions as director opens up on how Real Madrid star runs club he owes majority share in after relegation from Ligue 2

Mbappe became the majority majority shareholder of Caen in 2024 after acquiring 80 per cent of the club through his investment firm, Coalition Capital, in a deal reportedly worth as much as €20 million (£17m/$23m). The Caen supporters were excited to see a rejuvenated side under the new ownership, but things have not gone as expected as the club experienced a decline in form, issues in the dressing room, and fans turning against the Real Madrid star by displaying banners saying: "Mbappe, SMC is not your toy". The recruitment head, Reda Hammache, has now opened up about the striker's role at the club and how much the forward participates in decisions regarding running and operating the club.

Caen have been relegated to the National League for the first time in 41 years. This comes as a major financial setback for the club, with internal dressing room disputes over the selection of players and blaming the approach taken by the new ownership. This has affected the 26-year-old striker as things have declined on a much greater level after his takeover. As per L'Equipe, Mbappe is involved in the decisions but doesn't intervene in the match-to-match selections, with sporting matters mostly falling first on president Zihad Hammoud, general manager Josselin Flamand, technical director Pascal Plancque and the recruitment manager.

"He gets updates naturally and regularly, but he's not the type to call. It's a system we've set up for ourselves; he's not intrusive. He stays in his role as a shareholder who wants to enjoy things from a distance, knowing everything but letting people get on with their work. Our discussions are always focused on football, the value of the players, the spirit and the consistency of the team. We stick to technical considerations and never talk about money," Hammache told L'Équipe.

He also confirms that Mbappe does not remain passive when key decisions are made. "For this kind of big decision [appointing a coach], he is more than informed. When we chose Bruno Baltazar, Michel Der Zakarian or, more recently, Maxime D'Ornano, he was informed and he supported us in our decision. If there are things that really bother him, he'll say so, and we obviously give him that space. But so far, he's trusted us. We've stood by our decisions," he explains.

According to Hammache, Mbappe does not dictate the team line-up or tactical choices. He finds out the line-up like everyone else, sometimes before kick-off, sometimes even on television. Although he shows concern, he does not interfere where his role ends.

Caen now face a crucial rebuilding phase in the National League, focusing on stability, youth development and financial restructuring. Head coach d'Ornano leads efforts to restore confidence and aim for promotion back to Ligue 2.

Additional reporting by Patrick Tchanhoun .