Lionel Messi has reached a preliminary agreement to acquire full ownership of Spanish second-division club Eldense, potentially marking the beginning of his involvement as a businessman in Spanish professional football, should the deal be completed. The move would further strengthen his presence in the Spanish game following his acquisition earlier this year of UE Cornellà, a club competing in the Catalan Tercera Federación. Messi would acquire 100% of the club’s shares, with no third-party involvement.
Messi’s move into club ownership reflects his desire to invest his legacy directly in football itself. This time, his focus is on a club that has recently been promoted to Spain’s Segunda División and is based in Elda, in the province of Alicante, not far from Catalonia, where the Argentine star is expected to live once he retires from professional football at Inter Miami.
Leo Messi has reached a preliminary agreement with Eldense’s current owners to become the majority shareholder of the Alicante-based club. If completed, the transaction could be finalized in the coming days, once the remaining legal and contractual procedures have been concluded, including the due diligence process. The deal will also be subject to the required approval from Spain’s National Sports Council (CSD).
Eldense was purchased some time ago by an international investment group with Colombian roots, led by businessman Juan Carlos Trujillo, who in turn acquired the club from Pascual Pérez in October 2025. There had also been reports in recent months that Argentine businessman Ricardo Pini was interested in buying the club for around €12 million. But Messi’s name has now entered the picture with the force of a cyclone.
On the sporting side, Eldense dismissed head coach Claudio Barragán this past Monday, making him the first Segunda División manager to lose his job this season. The team has managed to pick up just two points from its first four league matches and has yet to appoint a new head coach.
