Messi is about to buy a second club in Spain, this time a professional team will be his property

After the best years of his life in Barcelona, ​​Lionel Messi left Spain in 2021. Now playing for US club Inter Miami, his relationship with Spanish football is going to deepen. The Argentine legend has reached a preliminary agreement to buy Spanish second division club Eldena.

According to an ESPN report, a preliminary agreement has been reached with Messi regarding the ownership of Eldena. However, the agreement is not yet final. First, the club's financial and legal aspects will be verified. Then, approval from Spain's National Sports Council will be required.

If everything goes well, Eldena will be the second club owned by Messi in Spain. The 39-year-old star bought fifth division team Corneja this year. Since Corneja is a semi-professional club, Eldena will be Messi's first professional club in Spain.

Currently, Eldena is owned by Colombian investment company Grupo TH. They also own several football clubs in Colombia and Switzerland.

Founded in 1921, Eldenas has a not-so-rich history. The club has spent most of its time in the lower tiers of Spanish football. In 2023, they were promoted to the second division for the first time since 1964. After being relegated two years later, Eldenas returned to the second division this summer.

However, the start of the new season has not been good. Despite playing four matches, the team has not yet won. In the meantime, coach Claudio Barragan has been fired. The club is currently operating without a new coach.

Messi's ownership in football is also gradually expanding. He is also partially involved in the ownership of Uruguayan club Deportivo LSM with his Inter Miami teammate Luis Suarez.

There is no risk of major complications regarding the ownership of Eldenas and Cornella for the time being. Because in the structure of Spanish football, there is a three-division gap between the two clubs—Cornellà is in the fifth division and Eldenas is in the second division.

However, the situation could be complicated if the two teams are in the same division in the future. If Messi becomes the majority owner of both clubs and they qualify to play at the same level, then there could be an ownership dispute under the rules of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.

Eldenas' home ground, Nuevo Pepico Amat, has a capacity of just 5,776 spectators. However, Messi's potential ownership could open the door to big changes for this small club. If the deal is finalized, the name of one of the world's greatest footballers will be added to a new chapter in the history of Spanish football.