Spanish second‑division side Eldense announced that Lionel Messi has reached a preliminary agreement to acquire the shares currently held by Grupo TH Soluciones, which would make the Argentine star the club’s majority shareholder.
Messi, who is 39 and plays for Inter Miami, has now invested in two Spanish clubs – he bought Catalan side Cornella in April and is set to take a controlling stake in Eldense.
The transaction is still subject to the completion of legal and contractual procedures, including a due‑diligence process and approval from the Spanish National Sports Council (CSD).
Based in Alicante, Eldense currently sits 20th in La Liga 2 with two points from four games and recently sacked head coach Claudio Barragan.
Messi’s move follows his retirement from international football after Argentina lost 1‑0 to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
BBC Sport has approached Messi for comment, but the club’s statement confirmed the preliminary nature of the deal.
Messi’s ownership of Cornella was said to reinforce his ties to Barcelona and his commitment to developing local talent in Catalonia.
Meanwhile, former Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo has bought a 25% stake in Spanish side Almeria.
