Newell’s Old Boys president Ignacio Astore has revealed that Lionel Messi wishes to join the club as he appears to close in on an Inter Miami exit. The 37-year-old is in the final year of his contract with the Herons and talks over a new deal have not progressed as expected.
Astore spoke with TyC Sports about the hopes held by those at Newell’s Old Boys with respect to Messi joining the club before his retirement. He acknowledged that the final decision is up to the Argentina great and he has yet to speak with him, but he is aware of his desire to return to the club.
Lionel Messi was on the books of the Rosario-based outfit as a child before moving to Barcelona straight from the academy. Despite never coming close to making a first-team appearance for the Argentine side, he has proudly embraced the fact that they are his club.
Messi’s deal with Inter Miami is expected to be extended by at least a year until 2026, with the club hopeful of keeping him until they move to their new stadium next year. However, talks appear to have stalled, leading to talk of the former Barcelona icon possibly leaving the MLS side.
A move to Argentina will see the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner emulate some of his former national teammates, most recently Angel Di Maria, who joined Rosario Central this summer. He has a few months to reach a decision on his future, with his contract still valid with Inter Miami until the end of the year.
Inter Miami star Lionel Messi has been named MLS Player of the Matchday after helping his side claim a 5-1 win over Columbus Crew. The 37-year-old scored twice and provided two assists in the comfortable win for the Herons.
Lionel Messi set up Tadeo Allende to beat the high defensive line set up by Crew and open the scoring in the game. He then went on to score twice before playing another inch-perfect through ball for Fafa Picault to score a fifth for Javier Mascherano‘s side.
The former PSG man became the first player this season to win consecutive Player of the Matchdays awards. He joined Philadelphia Union star Tai Baribo as the only players to have received the award more than once in the 2025 season.
Sulayman has a good feel for the game, which is reflected in his descriptive articles. He double checks information via multiple sources for accuracy, and only uses top-tier platforms like Transfermarkt and Opta for statistical information. His experience and exploits in the industry have led Sulayman to cover the Nigerian Professional League for three years along with games involving the Nigerian national team. He has also worked in F1, joining hands with industry veterans to provide a smooth viewing experience in Nigeria.
Sulayman hails Lionel Messi as the one true GOAT, and his brace in Argentina’s 2005 U20 FIFA World Cup final win over Nigeria left a lasting impact on him. He also supports Chelsea at club level, having followed their dominance under Jose Mourinho. Sulayman also follows other leagues with Nigerian players like Eredivisie, Saudi Pro League, Turkish Super Lig, and more. When not writing, he enjoys cooking and eating.
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