Lionel Messi moves closer to acquiring Spanish second-division club Eldense

13:00

By: Azzat Manal

Lionel Messi moves closer to acquiring Spanish second-division club Eldense

Lionel Messi is reportedly taking another major step into football ownership, with the Argentine superstar said to have reached a preliminary agreement to acquire Spanish second-division club Eldense.

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Messi is preparing to purchase 100% of the shares in the club, which is based in Elda, in the province of Alicante. The potential takeover would further expand the Inter Miami captain’s growing involvement in the business side of football.

Messi has already entered club ownership in Spain. Earlier this year, he reportedly acquired Catalan third-tier side Cornellà, marking his first significant investment in Spanish football.

The Eldense deal would represent a larger undertaking, particularly because the club recently secured promotion to Spain’s Segunda División. The transaction is expected to be formally announced once the remaining legal and contractual procedures are completed. Approval from Spain’s National Sports Council would also be required before the acquisition can be finalized.

Eldense is currently controlled by an international investment group with Colombian links led by businessman Juan Carlos Trujillo. The group acquired the club after Trujillo purchased it from Pascual Pérez in October 2015. Other potential investors had also reportedly been linked with a possible takeover in recent months.

The reported move fits into Messi’s broader plans to build a long-term connection with Spanish football. Alicante is relatively close to Catalonia, where the former Barcelona star is expected to spend more time after ending his playing career.

Eldense is currently experiencing a difficult start to the Segunda División campaign. The club dismissed coach Claudio Barragán on Monday after collecting only two points from its opening four league matches, making him the first managerial casualty of the new second-tier season. The club had yet to announce a replacement at the time of the reports.

If completed, the acquisition would strengthen Messi’s position not only as one of football’s most influential players but also as an increasingly active investor in the sport, potentially giving him a direct stake in the development of a Spanish professional club.