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.

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

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Lionel Messi Could Miss Start of 2027 MLS Season

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.

Exactly how long Messi would be in Argentina is not clear. Medina’s “first half of 2027” timeframe is a vague estimate, although a literal half-year until the end of June would see the player miss a considerable chunk of the Major League Soccer season, which would kick off in February.

Were Messi to join Newell’s in January 2027, he either wouldn’t be there very long if the agreement was to return to Miami for the MLS kick off, or it would have to involve missing MLS matches.

As a guide, similar types of deals have happened in the past.

David Beckham stayed with AC Milan longer than LA Galaxy wanted. | Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

LA Galaxy loaned David Beckham to AC Milan in 2009 and 2010. The 2009 deal was due to end in March, in time for him to return to LA for the start of that year’s MLS season, but he controversially stayed in Italy until the summer. The following year, Beckham got injured with Milan and didn’t play for Galaxy until Sept. 2010, having also missed his final shot at the World Cup with England.

LA Galaxy also loaned Landon Donovan to Bayern Munich in early 2009 and Everton in 2010 and 2012. But each time the USMNT icon returned for the start of the MLS season.

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