Photo Credit: Odd ANDERSEN / AFP
Messi Set to Acquire Spanish Second Division Side CD Eldense

Inter Miami star Lionel Messi has reached a preliminary agreement to acquire Spanish second-tier club CD Eldense.

According to ESPN, the deal is subject to due diligence and approval from Spain’s National Sports Council.

Eldense is currently owned by Colombian investment group Grupo TH, which also owns clubs in Colombia and Switzerland.

If the takeover is completed, Eldense will become the second Spanish club owned by the 39-year-old Argentine. In April 2026, Messi acquired Barcelona-based fifth-tier side Cornella — a semi-professional club known for producing players like Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya and his former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba.

Eldense would however be Messi’s first investment in a professional club in Spain. The club, founded in 1921, has spent most of its history outside the top two divisions. They returned to LaLiga 2 in 2023 for the first time since 1964, suffered relegation in 2025, and only returned to the second tier this summer.

The team is currently without a manager after sacking Claudio Barragán earlier this week following a winless start to the season in four matches. They play their home games at the 5,776-capacity Nuevo Pepico Amat stadium in Elda.

Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, is also a co-owner alongside Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez at Uruguayan club Deportivo LSM.

With Eldense and Cornella separated by three divisions, dual ownership is not expected to cause an immediate conflict, although the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) would likely not permit both clubs to compete in the same division should Messi become majority shareholder of both.
Source: Punch Newspaper