Lionel Messi plans to acquire Spanish second-division football club CD Eldense

Messi’s planned investment would be made without third-party involvement: he is set to acquire the entire shareholding of Eldense directly.
The club is based in Elda, Alicante, relatively close to Catalonia, where Messi is reportedly planning to live after ending his playing career with Inter Miami.
Eldense’s current ownership is linked to a Colombian-led international investment group headed by businessman Juan Carlos Trujillo, which bought the club from Pascual Pérez in October 2025.
The proposed transaction would represent Messi’s first ownership of a professional football club in Spain; the 39-year-old has already acquired lower-division UE Cornellà but would now enter the professional game.
Before Messi’s involvement emerged, Argentine businessman Ricardo Pini had reportedly been considering a purchase of Eldense for about €12 million.
Lionel Messi has reached a preliminary deal to buy 100% of CD Eldense, a Spanish second-division club based in Alicante. Free Malaysia Today reports the acquisition still needs approval from Spain's Higher Sports Council and legal clearance. The 39-year-old would own his first professional team in Spain if the deal closes.
Eldense recently climbed to Spain's second tier but has stumbled early this season with just two points in four matches. Talksport notes Messi would acquire the club directly without outside investors. This marks his second football team purchase, following his earlier stake in lower-division UE Cornellà .
Messi's ownership ambitions in Spanish football have grown steadily. He bought into UE Cornellà , a Catalan lower-division club, and now targets Eldense, a bigger step into professional football. Mirror reports the superstar announced his international retirement just over a week before this deal broke. His move reflects a shift toward life after playing.
The Colombian-led TH Soluciones Group S.A.S. bought Eldense from Pascual Pérez in October 2025 and now prepares to exit. Flashscore confirms Messi's team will acquire all shares held by TH Soluciones. The group took the club to Spain's second division before deciding to sell.
CD Eldense has faced early headwinds in the second division. The club sits near the bottom with just two points from four matches. Coach Claudio Barragán was recently dismissed as results faltered. Messi's takeover could bring major changes to strategy, spending, and management.
The purchase agreement remains subject to legal review and contractual due diligence. Headtopics reports that Spain's sports council must greenlight the transaction. Until that approval comes, the deal is not final. Messi's investment in Eldense signals his plan to plant roots in Spain after leaving Inter Miami.
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