Lionel Messi has reached a preliminary agreement to buy second-tier Spanish football club CD Eldense, the club confirmed in a statement to Reuters. The deal is pending completion of legal and contractual procedures, including due diligence and mandatory approval from Spain’s High Council for Sports (CSD), according to Eldense. Messi, 39, is close to acquiring 100 percent of the shares from Colombian investment group TH Soluciones Group SAS, the club’s current majority owner.

Previous and Potential Acquisitions

This would be the second club in Spain that Messi has invested in, as Earlier this year, on April 16, he confirmed the purchase of fifth-tier team UE Cornellà, based in Barcelona. Eldense, however, would be the first professional club in Spain in which Messi has taken an interest, as Cornellà remains semi-professional; Messi is also partially involved in the Uruguayan club Deportivo LSM alongside his Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez.

Club Background and Current Situation

Eldense, founded in 1921, has spent most of its history outside the top two divisions of Spanish football. The club was to the second tier for the first time since 1964 in 2023, then relegated in 2025 before returning to the second division this past summer. Eldense is currently 20th in the Segunda standings — the club was taken over by TH Soluciones Group in October 2025.

After failing to win any of their four games this season, Eldense sacked coach Claudio Barragán earlier this week, leaving the club without a manager; the club plays its home games at the Nuevo Pepico Amat, a modest stadium in Elda with a capacity of 5,776.

Future Considerations and Local Impact

The alcalde of Elda, Rubén Alfaro, confirmed the negotiation to the Valle de Elda news outlet — “This same night we were informed that there is a preliminary agreement. But at this moment we must show the caution required in these situations and wait to see if the operation is finalized,” he said. Alfaro also emphasized the city’s support for Eldense in economic, sporting, and institutional terms, which has helped make the club an attractive project for high-profile investors like Messi.

There were earlier speculations that former Barcelona teammates Carles Puyol and Andrés Iniesta might also be involved in the process; However, if the deal is finalized, Messi will hold the full 100% stake in the club. The president of Eldense, Carolina Holguín Tafur, reportedly met with Alfaro on Wednesday to inform him of an offer she could not refuse.

Messi’s potential ownership of both Eldense and Cornellà is unlikely to cause immediate issues since the clubs are separated by three divisions. However, should both teams compete in the same division, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) would likely not allow Messi to be the majority shareholder of both, as per current regulations.