Lionel Messi is set to buy Spanish second-division club Eldense – as Argentina icon continues to grow his footballing empire while still playing
Lionel Messi has reached an agreement in principle to become the owner of second-division Spanish side Eldense, Daily Mail Sport can confirm.
Messi is set to acquire the shares currently held by Colombian investment group Grupo TH, making him the club’s majority shareholder.
The deal is expected to be finalised in the coming days once the final legal and contractual procedures are completed and it has received approval from Spain’s High Council for Sport (CSD). The financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
The Valencia-based outfit were promoted to the second division at the end of last season and have faced a difficult start to their campaign, picking up two points in the opening four games. Their coach Claudio Barragan was sacked earlier this week, leaving the club without a manager.
Messi’s acquisition of Eldense marks the latest venture in the 39-year-old Argentinian star’s growing football empire.
A few months ago Messi purchased a 100 per cent stake in another Spanish side, UE Cornella, a semi-professional outfit located on the outskirts of Barcelona.
UE Cornella, founded in 1951, play in Spain’s fifth tier, and the club said Messi’s arrival ‘marked the beginning of a new chapter in its history, aimed at driving both sporting and institutional growth, strengthening its foundations and continuing to invest in talent’.
Lionel Messi has reached an agreement in principle to become the owner of second-division Spanish side Eldense, Daily Mail Sport can confirm
They added: ‘The project is guided by a long-term vision and a strategic plan that combines ambition, sustainability, and a strong connection to its local roots.’
Messi, who recently announced his international retirement following Argentina’s defeat in the World Cup final, has further investments elsewhere, although neither matches the scale of his two Spanish investments.
He co-owns Uruguay side Deportivo LSM alongside Inter Miami team-mate Luis Suarez. He also holds a direct equity option in his MLS team, Inter Miami, which allows him to buy a partial ownership stake in the club after his playing career ends.
As his empire grows, however, he could face a potential stumbling block.
Eldense and Cornella are currently separated by three divisions, but it is unlikely the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) would allow both teams to compete in the same division if the two clubs were ever to reach that point.
Eldense, founded in 1921, have spent most of their history outside the top two divisions of Spanish football.
They were promoted to the second tier for the first time since 1964 in 2023, suffered relegation in 2025 and secured an immediate return this past summer.
They play their home games at the Nuevo Pepico Amat, a 5,776-capacity stadium in the city of Elda.
