Lionel Messi has reached an agreement in principle to become the owner of Spanish second-division football club Eldense, Daily Mail Sport reported.
The 39-year-old Argentina star is set to acquire the shares currently held by Colombian investment group Grupo TH, making him the club's majority shareholder.
The financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. The deal is expected to be finalized in the coming days once final legal and contractual procedures are completed and approval is received from Spain's High Council for Sport (CSD). The CSD is the national government agency that oversees professional sports organizations in Spain.
The Valencia-based outfit were promoted to the second division at the end of last season but 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.
Expanding football empire
The acquisition of Eldense marks the latest venture in Messi's growing football empire while the Argentinian icon continues his active playing career. 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 in Catalonia.
UE Cornella, founded in 1951, play in Spain's fifth tier. 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".
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 clubs.
He co-owns Uruguay side Deportivo LSM alongside his Inter Miami team-mate Luis Suarez. He also holds a direct equity option in his Major League Soccer club, Inter Miami CF in the United States, which allows him to buy a partial ownership stake in the team after his playing career ends.
Ownership rules and club history
As his empire grows, however, he could face a potential stumbling block under Spanish football regulations. Eldense and UE Cornella are currently separated by three divisions, but it is unlikely the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), the national governing body for football in Spain, 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. The club 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.
