Lionel Messi Reaches Agreement To Buy Spanish Club Eldense

Inter Miami star Lionel Messi has reached an initial agreement to acquire Spanish second-division club Eldense.

The proposed deal still needs to go through due diligence and receive approval from Spain’s National Sports Council, according to ESPN, which cited a source familiar with the matter.

Eldense are currently owned by Colombian investment company Grupo TH, which also has interests in football clubs in Colombia and Switzerland.

If the takeover is completed, Eldense will become the second Spanish club owned by Messi.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner already took control of Cornella, a Barcelona-based fifth-tier club, in April 2026.

[irp]

The semi-professional team has previously been linked to players such as Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya and former Barcelona defender Jordi Alba.

However, the proposed Eldense deal would mark Messi’s first ownership of a professional Spanish club, since Cornella currently operate at a semi-professional level.

There are currently three divisions between Eldense and Cornella, so Messi’s ownership of both clubs would not create an immediate competition issue.

However, if the two teams eventually reach the same division, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is unlikely to permit them to compete against each other while Messi remains the majority owner of both clubs.

[irp]

Founded in 1921, Eldense have spent much of their history outside Spain’s top two divisions.

The club returned to the second tier in 2023 for the first time in nearly six decades but were relegated in 2025 before securing a return to the division this summer.

Eldense have endured a difficult start to the current campaign, failing to win any of their first four games.

Their poor form led to the departure of coach Claudio Barragán earlier this week, leaving the club without a manager.

The team plays its home matches at the Nuevo Pepico Amat in Elda, a stadium with a capacity of 5,776 spectators.

ALSO READ: Lionel Messi Retires From International Football At 39

[irp]