Messi targets Eldense takeover as ownership portfolio takes shape
Lionel Messi has reached an agreement in principle to acquire Spanish second-tier club CD Eldense, potentially adding a professional club to an ownership portfolio that already includes UE Cornellà and extending his transition from player into football investor.
Lionel Messi is close to acquiring CD Eldense after reaching an agreement in principle with the Spanish second-tier club’s current owners, expanding his growing investment interests in football.The proposed transaction would see Messi acquire the shareholding controlled by TH Soluciones Group, the Colombian-backed investment group that took control of Eldense in October 2025. Financial terms have not been disclosed.The transaction remains subject to final legal and contractual work, including due diligence, as well as approval from Spain’s High Council for Sports.Completion would give Messi control of a club operating in Spain’s professional league system only months after he acquired fifth-tier side UE Cornellà in April.That makes Eldense the more significant commercial asset within his emerging portfolio, with participation in Spain’s second division providing greater exposure to broadcasting revenues, sponsorship and player trading.The investment also provides another indication of how Messi intends to deploy his football brand and capital beyond his playing career.Messi remains with Inter Miami and is also expected to receive an ownership stake in the Major League Soccer club after his playing contract ends, potentially giving him interests across football businesses in both Europe and North America.Eldense are based in Elda in Spain’s Alicante province and have spent much of their history outside the country’s top divisions.Recent investment has changed that profile, with the club competing in the second tier in three of the past four seasons.The current owners acquired Eldense from Pascual Pérez last year as part of an international investment project, but Messi’s proposed arrival would represent another significant change in ownership within a relatively short period.The club’s sporting position also creates an immediate challenge for any new owner. Eldense have collected two points from their opening four league matches and recently dismissed head coach Claudio Barragán.Messi’s move into Eldense would therefore combine a turnaround opportunity with a longer-term investment in a professional football asset.Regulatory approval remains the key outstanding hurdle, with formal confirmation of the transaction expected once the remaining legal process and CSD review have been completed.