Lionel Messi reaches preliminary agreement to purchase Spanish club Eldense

Spanish second-division side Eldense say Argentina great Lionel Messi has reached a "preliminary agreement" to become the club's majority shareholder.

Eldense will become the second Spanish club Messi has invested in, having bought Catalan side Cornella in April.

The 39-year-old former Barcelona forward currently plays for Inter Miami and recently retired from international football after Argentina were beaten 1-0 by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.

Eldense said: "A preliminary agreement has been reached with Lionel Messi for the acquisition of the shares currently owned by Grupo TH Soluciones, which would make him the club's majority shareholder.

"The transaction is currently subject to the completion of the remaining legal and contractual procedures, including the due diligence process, as well as the required authorisation from the Spanish National Sports Council (CSD)."

The club, based in Alicante, have two points from four games this season and, sitting 20th in La Liga 2, parted ways with head coach Claudio Barragan earlier this week.

Cornella are in the fifth tier of Spanish football and in April said Messi's ownership "reinforces his close ties to Barcelona and his commitment to the development of sport and local talent in Catalonia".

BBC Sport has approached Messi for comment.

He left Argentina for Spain when he was 13 and made his first-team debut for Barcelona aged 17 in October 2004.

He went on to score a club record 672 goals in 778 games before he left for French club Paris St-Germain in 2021 prior to joining Major League Soccer side Inter Miami in the United States in 2023.

Messi's former Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, bought a 25% stake in Spanish side Almeria in February.