Big news from Argentina! Newell's Old Boys has officially confirmed they're trying to bring Lionel Messi back home. And we're not talking about some distant future – they want him playing in their colors in early 2027.
Juan Manuel Medina, a vice-president at the Argentine club, dropped the bombshell to TN. "We are working on Leo playing for Newell's in the first half of 2027, but for now there is nothing more than that," he said. Apparently, they've been cooking up this plan since 2024.
Here's the thing that makes this such a massive deal. Messi has never actually played senior club football in Argentina. He left for Barcelona's famous La Masia academy when he was just 13 years old. The man's basically spent his entire adult life abroad.
What's The Plan?
Newell's wants to borrow Messi from Inter Miami for a few months. The idea is he'd play for them in early 2027, then head back to Florida. Messi recently signed an extension keeping him in Miami until 2028, so any deal would need Miami's blessing.
Medina made it clear this isn't just about one club. "It's a project that goes beyond Newell's," he explained. "It's a project for the city of Rosario, the province and Argentine football."
For context, Messi's former Argentina teammate Ángel Di María already made a similar move. He's been playing for Rosario Central since 2025 after spending 18 years in Europe. Both players are from Rosario, making this potential homecoming even sweeter.
The Timing Problem
Here's where it gets tricky. Medina mentioned "first half of 2027" but that's super vague. If Messi stays until the end of June, he'd miss a huge chunk of the MLS season, which kicks off in February.
The club needs to figure out if he'd come in January and leave before MLS starts, or if Miami would be cool with him missing matches. That's a big ask for the reigning MLS Cup champions.
This isn't unprecedented though. LA Galaxy loaned David Beckham to AC Milan twice in 2009 and 2010. They also sent Landon Donovan to Bayern Munich and Everton for short stints. But those deals had mixed results – Beckham controversially stayed in Italy longer than planned in 2009.
For Miami and MLS betting markets, Messi's potential absence in early 2027 could significantly impact their championship odds. The Argentine legend remains their biggest star and most influential player. Meanwhile, if this deal happens, expect betting interest in Argentine football to explode globally.
Bottom line? Nothing's finalized yet, but Newell's is serious about making this happen. We're talking about potentially the most famous athlete in Argentina playing for his boyhood club. That's Hollywood-level stuff.
