Lionel Messi Set to Acquire CD Eldense: A New Era Begins
Lionel Messi is poised to become the outright owner of CD Eldense, stepping into the boardroom with the same conviction that has defined his career on the pitch.
According to reports in Spain, the Inter Miami star has reached an agreement in principle to buy 100 per cent of the Segunda Division club’s shares, with no third-party partners involved. The deal now sits in the final stretch: completion of due diligence and the formal green light from Spain’s Higher Sports Council (CSD), expected in the coming days.
From investment group to Messi era
Eldense, based in Alicante, has already lived through one major ownership change this decade. An international investment group led by businessman Juan Carlos Trujillo took control after buying the club from Pascual Perez in October 2025, promising stability and growth for the Elda side.
That project now stands on the brink of being overtaken by a far bigger footballing name. Argentine investor Ricardo Pini had been in the frame with a proposed €12 million offer, a serious move that pushed negotiations forward. Then Messi entered the scene.
His sudden appearance at the table changed everything. Talks swung sharply in his favour, and the club that sits in the heart of the Valencian Community, not far from Catalonia, is now on course to pass into the hands of one of the game’s greatest players.
Building a football empire
This is not a one-off passion purchase. It is part of a clear, expanding strategy.
Earlier this year, the Messi family added Spanish fifth-tier side UE Cornella to their portfolio, a move that hinted at a longer-term plan in football governance. The Argentina captain has also joined forces with close friend Luis Suarez to buy Uruguayan outfit Deportivo LSM, extending their reach into South American football.
The family influence stretches further still. At Lions FC, Messi’s brother Matias already serves as club president, giving the clan a direct role in decision-making and sporting direction. Eldense, if ratified, becomes another key piece in a growing network of clubs under Messi’s influence.
Eldense in trouble on the pitch
While the boardroom story gathers pace, the situation on the field is far less glamorous.
Eldense have stumbled out of the blocks in the new Segunda Division campaign, collecting just two points from their opening four matches. That poor start cost head coach Claudio Barragan his job, leaving the team without a manager and sliding towards early-season trouble.
The hierarchy now faces an urgent task: appoint a new coach capable of steadying the side and dragging them up the table. The pressure is real, the margin for error small.
Messi’s imminent arrival as majority shareholder is expected to change the landscape. Fresh capital, clearer strategy, and the pull of his name could reshape Eldense’s future far beyond this rocky spell. The question now is simple: how quickly can one of football’s greatest players turn his winning instinct into a blueprint for a club fighting to find its feet in Spain’s unforgiving second tier?
