Lionel Messi nears deal to buy another football team

Lionel Messi has reportedly agreed to purchase a majority stake in a Spanish second-division football team, according to local media. The deal, which is expected to be finalized shortly, involves acquiring a controlling interest in Eldense, a 105-year-old club hailing from Elda, a coastal town in Valencia. If successful, this would mark the second time Messi has bought a Spanish football club this year, following his acquisition of fifth-division team Unió Esportiva Cornellà in April.

Eldense has traditionally bounced between second and third divisions, as well as regional leagues, and had come close to dissolution at the turn of the century. The club plays its matches at a stadium with a capacity of 5,776 spectators. Adding Eldense to his existing football investments would bolster Messi's growing portfolio of clubs and his broader business ventures.

Beyond football, Messi has been involved in various business endeavors, including the ownership of a club in Argentina called Leones, a stake in a Uruguayan football club alongside teammate Luis Suárez, and an option to buy a stake in the US-based soccer team Inter Miami when his playing days are over. Messi's diverse investment portfolio also includes a Spanish real-estate investment trust, a US-based venture capital fund, and a restaurant chain in Argentina.

Despite his numerous business and sponsorship commitments, Messi's football career alone has positioned him among the elite athletes with estimated net worths surpassing $1 billion, a group that also includes his former rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who owns the Spanish football club Almería.