Argentina football great Lionel Messi is set to become majority owner of Spanish second-division club CD Eldense, Spanish sports daily AS reported late on Tuesday.
AS said that the 2022 World Cup winner had reached a basic agreement with Colombian investment group TH to take over 100% of the shares. The deal is still subject to the mandatory approval of Spain’s Higher Sports Council (CSD).
If the purchase goes through, it would be Messi’s first time owning a professional club in Spain. The 39-year-old, who is playing his fourth season with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer in the US, already owns fifth-tier club UE Cornella.
Elda’s mayor Rubén Alfaro said: “We only received confirmation this evening that a basic agreement is in place. At this stage, however, we must exercise the restraint required in such situations and wait to see whether the deal actually goes through.”