Lionel Messi’s Former Club Confirms Attempt to Seal His Return

The plan is to capture the Inter Miami megastar in 2027.

Could Lionel Messi be heading elsewhere? | ESTEBAN VEGA LA-ROTTA/AFP/Getty Images

Lionel Messi’s former club in Argentina is confirmed to be trying to sign the Inter Miami forward next year in what would be a landmark moment in his historic career.

“We are working on Leo playing for Newell’s in the first half of 2027, but for now there is nothing more than that,” Juan Manuel Medina, a vice-president at the Argentine club told TN, going on to reveal that the plan has been under discussion since 2024.

Messi has never played senior club soccer in his native Argentina, having left home to join Barcelona’s academy at La Masia from the age of just 13. He has lived abroad for his entire adult life and more, but bringing him back home to play in Newell’s colors would be huge for the club and would equally be a coup for his home town and all of Argentina.

“It’s a project that goes beyond Newell’s,” Medina added. “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.”

Former Argentina international teammate Ángel Di María, who also hails from Rosario, has been playing for city rivals Rosario Central since returning home in 2025 after 18 years in Europe.

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Change of MLS Schedule Opens Door to Possible Exit

Messi wore a vintage Newell’s jersey under his Barcelona uniform during a La Liga match in 2020. | Urbanandsport/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Messi has a contract with the reigning MLS Cup champions until 2028 after recently committing for three more years in south Florida. But Newell’s Old Boys want him on loan for a few months in early 2027, before returning the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner to Miami.

Such a deal would be incredibly unlikely under the current MLS schedule, but what makes this option feasible is the upcoming change in competition calendar.

While the MLS season currently runs across a single calendar year, the league will change in 2027 to adopt the same schedule as Europe’s major leagues, starting in the second half of 2027 and ending in the summer of 2028.

After the end of the 2026 campaign, MLS will host a “transition season,” which will be a significantly shortened version of the current format over the first half of 2027 before the new 2027–28 season will get underway.

Given that transitional tournament is likely to be viewed with less importance than the full season, it is entirely feasible that Messi and Miami could view this as an opportunity to take his talents to Newell’s on a temporary basis.

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