Lionel Messi has reached an agreement in principle to acquire 100% of Spanish second-division club CD Eldense, according to reports in Spain.
The deal would give the Inter Miami star full ownership of a professional side in Europe, expanding his football business interests beyond UE Cornellà, which he bought in April.
Lionel Messi Agrees To Buy CD Eldense
Multiple Spanish outlets, including AS and Marca, report that Messi has reached a “principio de acuerdo” with Eldense’s current owners to purchase the entire share package.
The sellers are identified as TH Group, a Colombian investment vehicle led by businessman Juan Carlos Trujillo, which acquired Eldense around 2015 and has controlled the club for roughly a decade. Messi’s representatives have been in negotiations with TH Group for months.
A framework is now in place for him to become the sole owner, with no third-party investors involved.
Eldense competes in Segunda División, also known as LaLiga Hypermotion, and the deal would make Messi a professional club owner in Spain for the first time. He already owns UE Cornellà, which competes in the lower divisions of Spanish football.
Local authorities in Elda say they were informed of a sale process involving Messi, but no official club statement has been issued confirming the change of ownership.
What Steps Remain Before The Deal Is Complete?
The deal has not yet been legally completed and remains subject to several regulatory and administrative steps. Reports say a due diligence process must be completed before the share transfer can be finalised.
The takeover also requires approval from Spain’s Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD), or National Sports Council, before the change of ownership can be completed.
Until those conditions are met and contracts are signed, the deal remains an agreement in principle rather than a completed takeover.
Why Has Eldense Been In The News Recently?
Eldense gained high-profile attention after a 12-0 defeat to Barcelona B in Segunda B that prompted a match-fixing investigation. La Liga president Javier Tebas confirmed that the league would look into the result after Eldense’s board requested a probe.
Citing “hallmarks” of possible involvement of an international betting ring.
"We are going to look into it because the Eldense board have asked us to and the result at half time was out of the ordinary."
"We're going to investigate because there are certain collateral issues with an Italian investment group that bears the hallmarks of the possible involvement of an international betting ring with a view to match-fixing."
Eldense player Cheikh Saad publicly alleged that four players and the coach were involved in match-fixing, claiming he was told the game was fixed and that some teammates were instructed not to score.
The board at that time announced a suspension of sporting activity and moved to cut ties with a group of Italian investors, though an investment-group spokesman disputed the board’s capacity to suspend activity.
This recent controversy forms part of the backdrop to the ownership change, even though the Messi deal is reported separately and not directly linked to the investigation. The focus now shifts to whether the prospective new ownership can stabilise Eldense’s image and sporting project once regulatory approval is secured.
