‘At Least’—Lionel Messi’s Future Takes New Twist Amid Shock Inter Miami Exit Talk

There have been reports in Argentina of Messi’s return to his boyhood club, Newell’s Old Boys.

Lionel Messi remains Inter Miami’s most important creative force. | Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/Getty Images

Amid wild claims of Lionel Messi returning to Argentina to represent his boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys, a new report has claimed that the Inter Miami forward is committed to his MLS future, with the prospect of an extension tentatively raised.

Messi is in the endgame of his legendary career. The most trophy-laden player in the history of the sport has no more worlds left to conquer and has already retired from international duty. At this point, Messi could be forgiven for letting sentimentality dictate his next moves.

This week, the Argentine journalist Gonzalo Calvigioni claimed that “Messi has never been so close” to joining Newell’s Old Boys, with a potential transfer set for January 2027. Messi famously grew up as a Newell’s fan and lit up the club’s youth teams only to be told by senior management that they would not pay for his costly growth hormone treatment, thereby forcing him to Barcelona as a 13-year-old.

It is one of the curiosities of his career that the greatest Argentinian player of all time has never made a single appearance in his nation’s top flight.

Any stir that this talk may have caused was quashed by Fabrizio Romano, who confidently reported that Messi is “very happy at Inter Miami,” where he intends to remain until the expiry of his contract in December 2028. Romano also added the telling line that Messi’s future in MLS will stretch until 2028 for “at least” another two years, with the prospect of an extension to his existing terms “to be evaluated later on.”

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Could Lionel Messi Stay at Inter Miami Beyond 2028?

It’s unclear what the future will hold for Lionel Messi. | Rich Storry/Getty Images

If it were up to David Beckham and Inter Miami (and MLS at large), Messi would be given a lifetime contract. The legendary World Cup winner is the ultimate marketing tool for a division which he is continuing to dominate.

Even at this advanced stage of his career, Messi remains the most destructive attacking force in MLS. The 39-year-old leads the league for goals, xG, shots and shots on target, while also creating the most clear cut chances across the league.

“There will be a before and after Messi,” Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas said after striking the biggest deal in the history of U.S. soccer three years ago. He simply doesn’t want the “after Messi” bit to begin just yet.

Inter Miami’s valuation has more than doubled to $1.3 billion since Messi’s arrival, while interest in fixtures across the league have enjoyed an unprecedented boom with the ability to market the shy and retiring Argentine.

While there is a swollen glut of invested individuals hellbent on extending Messi’s Floridian swansong, the man himself hasn’t shown too much of an appetite for an endless playing career.

When Messi tearfully announced his international retirement after the draining experience of playing through the 2026 World Cup while his father Jorge was dying, he hinted at an imminent exit from the global stage altogether. “All I ever did was play soccer,” he wrote in an open letter to his late dad in August, “and now I’m really not sure if I’ll keep doing it for much longer.”

Steps have already been taken for Messi to make a smooth transition into a post-playing career, with an ever-expanding portfolio of clubs coming under his ownership. “I am just starting out,” Messi said of his budding business empire. The same can no longer be said for his days on the field.

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