Lionel Messi is reportedly making ready for one more main step into soccer possession, with the Argentina legend set to broaden his enterprise pursuits in Spain after making his first funding within the nation’s decrease leagues earlier this 12 months.The transfer would give the 39-year-old a direct stake in Spanish skilled soccer whereas additionally taking him nearer to the nation the place he spent the overwhelming majority of his taking part in profession and the place he’s anticipated to stay after finally ending his time as an energetic participant with Inter Miami.
Messi reportedly agrees deal to take full management of Eldense
In response to Marca, Messi has reached an settlement in precept with the present homeowners of CD Eldense to accumulate the Alicante-based membership.The stories state that Messi would purchase 100 per cent of Eldense’s shares, that means the funding could be made solely by the Argentine and wouldn’t contain companions, former gamers or different third events.Nonetheless, the settlement has not but been accomplished.The deal is anticipated to be finalised within the coming days, supplied the remaining authorized and contractual formalities are accomplished. These procedures embody the required monetary due diligence, whereas the proposed takeover will even require approval from the Spanish Nationwide Sports activities Council (CSD).The membership is predicated in Elda, in Alicante province, and at the moment competes in LaLiga 2, Spain’s second division. Eldense had been lately promoted to the Segunda División, also referred to as LaLiga Hypermotion, for the 2026–27 season after successful Group 2 of the Primera Federación in Could 2026, in response to stories. The membership at the moment has round 3,500 season-ticket holders.The proposed acquisition would characterize one other piece of Messi’s rising soccer enterprise portfolio.Earlier in 2026, Messi acquired 100 per cent of the shares in UE Cornellà, a Catalan membership competing within the Spanish third tier. That deal was introduced in April, with Cornellà saying Messi’s arrival would start “a brand new chapter within the membership’s historical past” aimed toward driving sporting and institutional development, strengthening its foundations and persevering with funding in expertise.The challenge at Cornellà has positioned specific emphasis on youth academy improvement and girls’s soccer.The Eldense funding would take Messi’s involvement to a significantly larger stage of the Spanish soccer pyramid, with the membership competing in skilled soccer.The stories counsel the motivation behind the challenge is Messi’s want to take a position his footballing legacy again into the sport itself, with Eldense’s location additionally probably becoming into his longer-term plans.Elda is in Alicante province and is comparatively near Catalonia, the place Messi is anticipated to stay after his taking part in profession involves an finish.
Eldense takeover comes as membership searches for brand spanking new supervisor
Eldense was beforehand acquired by a global funding group with Colombian roots, led by businessman Juan Carlos Trujillo, who purchased the membership from Pascual Pérez in October 2015.There had already been hypothesis over a doable change of possession in current months, with Argentine businessman Ricardo Pini reportedly linked with a possible takeover value round €12million.Messi’s reported settlement has now modified the image significantly, though the ultimate transaction nonetheless must clear its remaining necessities earlier than it may be thought of full.
The membership can also be experiencing difficulties on the pitch
Eldense dismissed Claudio Barragán on Monday, making him the primary Segunda División supervisor to be sacked this season, in response to stories.The membership had collected simply two factors from its opening 4 league matches and had not appointed a substitute on the time of reporting.Messi’s potential arrival would due to this fact come whereas Eldense makes an attempt to stabilise each its sporting and institutional scenario.The proposed takeover additionally marks one other intriguing improvement in Messi’s post-playing profession.The Argentine, who’s now 39, has already received nearly each main honour accessible to him, together with the World Cup and Champions League, and has collected a file eight Ballon d’Or awards.His funding in Cornellà earlier this 12 months signalled his rising curiosity in soccer away from the pitch. A takeover of Eldense would characterize a considerably bigger dedication, placing one of many sport’s greatest-ever gamers in place to affect a membership competing in Spain’s skilled second tier.For now, although, the important thing distinction is that Messi has reportedly reached an settlement in precept, moderately than accomplished the acquisition.The ultimate authorized and contractual procedures, together with due diligence and the required CSD authorisation, nonetheless have to be accomplished earlier than Messi can formally take management of Eldense.