Messi Eldense takeover moves closer as the Inter Miami captain agrees to buy 100% of the Spanish club, subject to due diligence and CSD approval

Elda, Spain, September 9, 2026: Lionel Messi, the Inter Miami captain and Argentina great, has reached an agreement in principle to acquire 100 per cent of Spanish second-tier club CD Eldense, expanding his growing involvement in football ownership.

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The proposed Messi Eldense takeover is not yet complete. The transaction must first pass the remaining legal and contractual procedures, including due diligence, before receiving the required approval from Spain’s High Council for Sports, known as the CSD.

According to reports from Spain, Messi’s legal representatives have been negotiating with Colombian investment group TH, led by Juan Carlos Trujillo, which acquired Eldense in October 2025. Messi is expected to acquire the entire shareholding without third-party investors.

The proposed deal would make Eldense the first professional Spanish club owned by Messi. The 39-year-old already acquired UE Cornellà in April, but the Catalan club competes in Spain’s lower tiers.

The development represents a striking expansion of Messi’s post-playing ambitions. While he remains an active player with Inter Miami, his investments increasingly point towards a future in football beyond the pitch.

Messi spent 17 remarkable years at Barcelona, where he became one of the defining figures in the club’s history. His return to Spain through club ownership also has a personal dimension, with reports indicating that he intends eventually to live in Catalonia.

Eldense, based in Elda in Alicante province, has a considerably more modest footballing history than Barcelona. Founded in 1921, the club has spent most of its existence outside Spain’s top divisions.

The club has, however, enjoyed a notable rise in recent years. Eldense secured three successive promotions between 2020 and 2023 and has now returned to Spain’s second tier after winning promotion from the lower division last season.

The timing of the proposed takeover comes during a difficult start to the new campaign. Eldense have collected only two points from their opening four league matches and are currently 20th in the Segunda División.

The club also parted company with manager Claudio Barragán on September 6 after the slow start. Josep Ferrando, previously Barragán’s assistant, has taken temporary charge.

Barragán had been a popular figure among Eldense supporters after guiding the club back into professional football. His departure has therefore added another layer of uncertainty as the ownership transition takes shape.

The proposed change in ownership had reportedly been circulating as a possibility for some time.

Sources in Elda told Cadena SER that Eldense’s president met Mayor Rubén Alfaro on September 2 and informed him about the prospective sale, describing the offer as one that could not be refused.

The potential arrival of Messi has consequently generated considerable attention in a club that ordinarily operates far from the global spotlight surrounding the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.

The transaction would also place Messi among a growing group of elite footballers investing directly in clubs.

Cristiano Ronaldo has invested in Spanish football, while Kylian Mbappé, Luka Modrić and N’Golo Kanté have also entered club ownership or investment in recent years.

For Eldense, however agreement remains subject to due diligence and regulatory approval.

If those final hurdles are cleared, Messi will take full ownership of a Spanish professional club for the first time, adding an intriguing new chapter to an extraordinary, the immediate question is less about Messi’s global profile and more about what his ownership could mean for the club’s sporting and financial future.

The club’s return to the professional game has already created a platform for growth. Messi’s proposed arrival could provide another powerful boost, although the scale of any investment strategy will only become clearer once the transaction is formally completed.

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For now, the agreement remains subject to due diligence and regulatory approval. If those final hurdles are cleared, Messi will take full ownership of a Spanish professional club for the first time, adding an intriguing new chapter to an extraordinary football career.