Lionel Messi looks set to add a second Spanish club to his growing ownership portfolio. The Inter Miami forward has reached a preliminary agreement to buy CD Eldense, a Segunda División side based in Alicante, from Colombian investment group TH Soluciones Group SAS.
The Details of the Deal
Eldense confirmed the agreement, saying a preliminary deal had been reached for the acquisition of the shares currently owned by TH Soluciones. Because of that, Messi would acquire 100% of TH Soluciones' shareholding, making him the club's majority owner.
The transaction still needs to clear two hurdles. Due diligence between the parties is ongoing, and Spain's High Council for Sports, known as the CSD, must grant final approval. Eldense could not confirm an exact completion date, though Spanish reports suggest the deal could close within days.
Not His First Spanish Club
This would mark Messi's second Spanish club purchase this year. He already owns UE Cornellà, a fifth-tier side from the Barcelona area, following a takeover completed in April. Eldense represents a bigger step, since it competes in a fully professional division just one tier below La Liga.
TH Soluciones took control of Eldense only last October, guiding the club back to the Segunda División as Primera Federación champions. It is Eldense's third season in the second tier in four years. On the pitch, the club has struggled early this season, sitting 20th in the standings with just two points from four matches. Eldense sacked head coach Claudio Barragán on Sunday amid the poor run. .
Messi is also set to receive an ownership stake in Inter Miami once his playing contract there expires. The Argentine, who retired from international football with Argentina last week, appears to be building a broader footprint in club ownership as his playing career winds down.
For now, the Eldense deal remains unofficial. Both the club and Messi's camp have stopped short of confirming a firm timeline, leaving supporters in Alicante watching closely for the regulatory sign-off that would make the move official.
Messi would not be the only global name in the division. Cristiano Ronaldo holds an ownership interest in Almería, who beat Eldense 3-0 on the opening weekend of this Segunda season. The two clubs meet again later in the campaign, giving football's defining rivalry an unfamiliar new setting.