Lionel Messi is expanding his football empire in Spain. The Inter Miami star has reached an agreement in principle to acquire 100% of the shares held by Colombian investment group TH Soluciones Group S.A.S. in CD Eldense, a Segunda División club based in the Alicante town of Elda. The deal still requires due diligence, final legal and contractual procedures and mandatory authorization from Spain’s High Council for Sports (CSD), meaning Messi is not officially the owner – yet.
If completed, the transaction would make Messi the owner of a professional Spanish club for the first time. His acquisition of fifth-tier UE Cornellà in April made him a club owner already, but Eldense represents a significant step up the Spanish football pyramid. The move also gives the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner a second Spanish club while he remains an active player in the MLS with Inter Miami.
Lionel Messi Nears Full Takeover of Spanish Club Eldense
The agreement was first reported in Spain before Eldense confirmed the development to Reuters. The club said the transaction remains subject to the completion of the final legal and contractual procedures, including due diligence and approval from the CSD. There is currently no fixed date for the deal to be completed, although reports in Spain indicate the announcement could come within days.
Eldense, founded in 1921, currently sit 20th in the Segunda División after taking two points from their opening four matches. The club also dismissed manager Claudio Barragán on Sunday following the poor start. Eldense have played in Spain’s second tier in three of the past four seasons, having climbed back up the football pyramid after spending much of their history in the lower divisions.
Messi Is Building a Spanish Football Portfolio
Eldense would become Messi’s second Spanish club. Back in April of this year, the Argentine officially acquired UE Cornellà, a fifth-tier Catalan club located close to Barcelona, where Messi spent the majority of his legendary career. Cornellà described the purchase as part of a long-term project focused on sporting and institutional growth and the development of local talent.
The contrast between the two investments is significant. Cornellà is a lower-level club with a strong youth-development identity, while Eldense compete in the professional second tier and have a much larger potential commercial profile. Messi’s expanding involvement in Spanish football also comes as his playing career enters its later stages, although he remains with Inter Miami and is expected to receive a stake in the MLS club after his playing contract expires.
Messi and Ronaldo Now Own Clubs in the Same Division
The takeover also creates an intriguing connection with Cristiano Ronaldo. The former Real Madrid star purchased a 25% stake in Spanish second-tier club UD Almería in February through his CR7 Sports Investments company. Almería remain majority-owned by Saudi businessman Mohamed Al-Khereiji, meaning Ronaldo’s arrangement differs from Messi’s proposed full takeover of Eldense.
The clubs have already faced each other this season, with Almería beating Eldense 3-0 in the opening round of the Segunda campaign. They are scheduled to meet again later in the season, giving one of football’s greatest individual rivalries an unusual new dimension. Messi and Ronaldo will not be competing against each other on the field, but their respective investments have now put both superstars inside the ownership structure of Spanish second-tier football.
What Messi’s Eldense Investment Could Mean
For Eldense, Messi’s arrival would immediately raise the club’s international profile. The club is based in Elda, a town of roughly 55,000 people, and its current stadium holds fewer than 6,000 spectators. Even before the transaction is completed, the association with Messi has put a relatively small Spanish club into the global football spotlight.
There is still a significant difference between an agreement in principle and a completed takeover. Due diligence and CSD authorization must be completed before Messi officially assumes control. If those final steps are cleared, however, the move would mark a remarkable expansion of Messi’s influence in Spanish football — from Barcelona legend to owner of a professional Spanish club, while still playing thousands of miles away in MLS.
Lionel Messi Agrees Deal to Buy Spanish Second-Tier Club Eldense