Lionel Messi is on the verge of buying CD Eldense, a Spanish second-division club currently sitting third from bottom after four league matches. Not exactly a marquee acquisition — but that might be exactly the point.
Multiple Spanish reports confirm Messi has agreed in principle to acquire all shares held by majority owner TH Soluciones Group S.A.S., a Colombian investment group that only took control of the Alicante-based club in October 2025. The deal is pending approval from Spain's High Council for Sports (CSD), with a formal announcement expected within days.
A club in freefall, a buyer with deep pockets
The timing is worth a hard look. Eldense sacked manager Claudio Barragan on Sunday after collecting just two points from their opening four matches. The club from Elda — a town of roughly 55,000 people in eastern Spain — has spent the bulk of its history in the lower reaches of Spanish football, only recently becoming a recurring fixture in the second tier.
Buying a club mid-crisis isn't reckless if you're planning a long rebuild. It does, however, make Eldense's relegation odds a live conversation — a new owner, no manager, and a points tally that already has them staring at the third division.
This is Messi's second Spanish club acquisition in quick succession. He picked up fifth-tier UE Cornella on April 16, suggesting a deliberate strategy rather than opportunistic dabbling. A development club in the lower pyramid, a competitive one in the second tier — there's a structure forming here.
Where Eldense fits in the bigger picture
Beyond Spain, Messi is due to receive an ownership stake in Inter Miami once his playing contract expires. That's three clubs across two countries at different levels of the football pyramid.
Whether this is legacy-building, a business play, or both, the immediate task is the same: Eldense need a manager, a result, and fast. Messi the owner doesn't get the luxury of a slow start.
