Lionel Messi is poised to become the majority shareholder at second-division side Eldense, the Spanish club said on Wednesday.
Eldense, based near the port city of Alicante in south-east Spain, confirmed to The Associated Press that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had reached a preliminary agreement with the club’s owners.
The deal will see him buy the shares held by Grupo TH Soluciones, subject to the completion of the remaining legal and contractual procedures.
This won’t be Messi’s first investment in a club: he’s already part of the ownership groups for two others, including one with teammate Luis Suárez. (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/MLS via Getty Images)
The club did not provide financial details and did not say when the contract would be completed.
Eldense will become the second Spanish club the Argentina star has invested in. Earlier this year, he became the owner of a fifth-division side, Barcelona-based UE Cornella. While financial details were not officially disclosed for that transaction, either, it was reported that Messi paid between $70-80 million for UE Cornella, per the Buenos Aires Times. Prior to purchasing UE Cornella in April, Messi had already invested in Uruguayan club Deportivo LSM, with Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez.
Eldense fired coach Claudio Barragan on Sunday after claiming just two points from four league matches this season.
Messi has built a strong bond with Spain. He arrived at Barcelona at age 13, when he and his family came to the country to try his luck at the club’s youth academy.
Lionel Messi Related Stories
He was the best player of his generation during two decades at Barcelona, where he won multiple titles before leaving in 2021.
Now aged 39, Messi was named this week on the shortlist for another Ballon d’Or award after guiding Argentina to a runner-up finish at the World Cup and winning Major League Soccer with Inter Miami.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
