Lionel Messi has retired from international football and is increasingly nearing the end of his playing career. However, the Argentine superstar looks set to remain closely involved in the sport that made him a legend.
After acquiring a stake in Cornellà, Messi is now on the verge of buying a second football club in Spain.
Eldense revealed on Wednesday that Messi has reached a “preliminary agreement” to become the club’s majority shareholder.
“There is a preliminary agreement with Lionel Messi for the acquisition of the shares currently held by Grupo TH Soluciones, which will make him the majority shareholder of the club,” Eldense told Reuters.
“The transaction is subject to the completion of legal and contractual procedures, including the due diligence process, as well as approval from the Consejo Superior de Deportes.”
Based in the Alicante region, Eldense have picked up just two points from their opening four matches of the season and currently sit 20th in LaLiga 2. The club also parted ways with manager Claudio Barragán earlier this week.
Messi’s other Spanish club, Cornellà, currently compete in the fifth tier of Spanish football. In April, the club said that having Messi as owner would strengthen its ties with Barcelona while reaffirming its commitment to developing sporting and local talent in Catalonia.
Messi spent more than two decades as the biggest star at Barcelona and currently plays for Inter Miami.
The Argentine recently announced his retirement from international football after Argentina lost 1–0 to Spain in the World Cup final.
Messi’s long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo has also invested in Spanish football. The Portuguese forward acquired a 25% stake in Spanish club Almería in February, with the side also competing in the country’s second tier.