29 September 2023 , 21:09
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Lionel Messi may have only been at Inter Miami a matter of months but he reportedly has already decided that his next club will be in his homeland and decided when he will make his next move.
The Argentine legend surprised the sporting world when he decided to snub a return to Barcelona and the riches of Saudi Arabia to move to MLS in the summer. However, it appears that he could be on the move again when his deal with the Herons concludes in 2025.
In what would be an emotional move for the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, he could eventually depart the US to finish his career in the country of his birth. According to El Nacional, the 37-year-old will move to boyhood club Newell's Old Boys when his current contract expires.
Messi looks to have settled remarkably well into life in America and his performances on the pitch have reflected his contentment with his new environment. After a mixed spell with Paris Saint-Germain, the veteran forward has scored a sublime 11 goals in his first 12 games in the US.
The American public have taken the World Cup winner to their hearts since his arrival and he has received a rock star-like reception at grounds around the country. After leading Miami to their first-ever trophy with the Leagues Cup, he has already carved out a place for himself in the club's history.
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Currently, he is earning an estimated $50 and $60 million per year in MLS, with his contract also including lucrative tie-ins with partners including Apple and Adidas. That said, after spending the majority of his life away from his home country of Argentina, he may have the desire to finally return.
Having departed his hometown of Rosario at the age of just 13 to embark on a new chapter in Barcelona, such a return would bring his career full circle. After all, he experienced the adoration reserved for him in the city when he took part in Maxi Rodriguez's testimonial at Estadio Marcelo Bielsa earlier in the year.
Lionel Messi is revered at Newell's Old Boys and could return to his hometown club (Luciano Bisbal/Getty Images)He has spoken of desire to potentially finish his glittering career at the club he supported as a young boy on numerous occasions down the years. Even during his pomp, he eulogised about the prospect telling Spanish magazine El Planeta Urbano back in 2016: "If I go back to Argentina tomorrow, which I would love, the club I would be play for would be Newell's."
The world-famous superstar was somewhat more coy on the subject, however, when he was drawn on a potential move back to his home country subsequently. He later told TyC Sports: "My dream is to play at Newell's but I don't know what will happen, and a part of that doubt is due to the way the country is at the moment.
I have a family and my children come first, and then me, I want them to grow up in a calm place, being able to enjoy life with security. It is very ugly to see the things that happen in Argentina, that you can go out on the street and people want to rob you and that they can kill you."