Lionel Messi advances Eldense purchase; Braga develops Dinis Rodrigues
At the headquarters of CD Eldense, near the port of Alicante, Lionel Messi watches the club's future while recalling his stint at Braga's academy, where Dinis Rodrigues began his training before moving to Italy in 2025.
Deal with TH Soluciones
Messi is close to completing the purchase of 100 % of Eldense's shares, also referred to as Eldens in some reports, currently held by the Colombian group TH Soluciones Group SAS. The deal, still subject to due diligence and the approval of the Superior Sports Council, is expected to be finalized in the coming days.
The acquisition follows the purchase of UE Cornellà, completed on 16 April, when the Argentine became owner of a fifth‑division club. The team, known for its academy that develops players for Barcelona, was Messi's first foray into Spanish football.
Profile of Dinis Rodrigues
In the squad, the Portuguese forward Dinis Rodrigues, 21, stands out, having joined Eldense in the 2026/27 season on loan from Napoli. Trained at Braga, Rodrigues had his first overseas experience in 2025 when he signed for Sion.
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Previously, Rodrigues was loaned to Penafiel, where he featured in three matches without scoring. He has not yet debuted for Eldense, but is fighting for a place in the starting eleven, competing with Waldo, Manu Nieto and Pau Cabanes.
Eldense, which returned to the Segunda División – the second tier of La Liga – at the start of the season, currently sits in 20th place in the table. The club dismissed coach Claudio Barragán after only two points from four games and faces strict salary caps that will prevent high‑level investments.
Messi's presence in the Spanish scene reinforces the trend of big names investing in clubs in the Comunitat Valenciana and other regions, such as former teammate Gerard Piqué, who controls Andorra, and forwards Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé, shareholders of teams in Portugal and France.
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Beyond the business aspect, Messi maintains a deep connection with Spain, having arrived at Barcelona at age 13 and winning eight Ballon d’Or awards before leaving the club in 2021. His new involvement with Eldense could influence the dynamics of the Segunda División in the coming years.