Newell’s Old Boys Confirm They Will Try To Sign Lionel Messi And Hijack FC Barcelona Return Plot

Newell’s Old Boys have confirmed that they will try to sign Lionel Messi this summer and hijack FC Barcelona’s plot to see their greatest ever player return to the club.

The World Cup winner’s Paris Saint Germain contract expires on June 30. Though Messi is most strongly linked to continuing at the Parc des Princes by penning a renewal, returning to FC Barcelona, or heading to the United States to represent Inter Miami in the MLS, his maiden outfit in hometown Rosario haven’t given up hope of enjoying the 35-year-old don their red and black shirt for the first time as an adult.

“We’re going to go for the Messi dream, people need to honor him here,” Newell’s vice president Pablo Allegri confirmed to the Ni Mas Ni Menos radio program on local radio in Rosario, in quotes relayed by Argentina’s leading sports newspaper Ole.

“[Conmebol president] Alejandro Dominguez said that Lionel lacked winning the Libertadores. After that, I approached the President of Conmebol and he told us that we have to work together for the dream of Messi playing in the cup,” Allegri revealed, in relation to South America’s answer to the Champions League.

“Everything we have to put in we will put in. It is 100% our desire for Messi to come to Newell’s. It’s everyone’s dream.”

Allegri pointed out that many fans across Argentina and the Americas want to see Messi return home too. “Newell’s would be the most watched team on the continent,” he predicted. “Time will tell if he comes or not. We’ll wait for him whenever he wants [to come].”

Allegri’s remarks come after his Barca counterpart Rafa Yuste confirmed that the Catalans have already opened talks with Messi and his entourage in regards to a possible second stint at Camp Nou.

Idolized in Argentina after leading them to a third World Cup title at Qatar 2022 in December, however, Messi may be interested in calling it a day in Europe. As a consequence, he would finally end a two-decade plus stay on the Old Continent which began when he joined Barca’s famed La Masia academy from Newell’s as a shy 13-year-old in 2000.

Just over a month ago, Messi’s close friend Sergio Aguero told UOL in Brazil that Messi “is seriously considering the possibility of playing for Newell’s [Old Boys].”