Newell's Old Boys working on plan to bring Messi back to Argentina in 2027
The Rosario club's vice president said the project is in preliminary stages with institutional backing, though no formal negotiations have begun.
6 hrs ago
Newell's Old Boys said Wednesday it is working on plans to bring Lionel Messi back to his boyhood club in the first half of 2027, according to the club's vice president Juan Manuel Medina.
Medina told Argentine broadcaster TN that the project remains in early stages with no formal negotiations underway. "We are working on Leo playing for Newell's in the first half of 2027, but today there is nothing more than that," Medina said.
The timing aligns with a shift in Major League Soccer's calendar. The MLS will change its schedule midway through 2027, moving to a European-style season running from August onward, creating a window for Messi's potential move.
Messi, 38, played for Newell's from ages six to 13 before joining Barcelona's La Masia academy. He never appeared in a senior match for the Rosario-based club but scored 234 goals for their youth teams. One of the stands at the club's Estado Marcelo Bielsa is named after him.
Medina emphasized that the initiative extends beyond the club itself. "It's a project that goes beyond Newell's. It's a project for the city of Rosario, the province, and Argentine football. It all depends on what we can offer in terms of infrastructure and a competitive sports program," he said.
The idea originated in 2024 when Ignacio Boero, the club's current president, formed his political group ahead of the club's elections the following year. Since then, the concept has been developed with backing from institutional and political authorities in Rosario and the province of Santa Fe.
Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023 and renewed his contract with the MLS club. He has never played professionally in Argentine football.