Newell's Old Boys are working on a project to entice Lionel Messi to play for the club in the first half of 2027.
The initiative was confirmed by the Argentinian club's first vice president, Juan Manuel Medina, who said: "It's a project that goes beyond Newell's. It involves the city of Rosario, the province, and Argentine football."
Messi, who played for Newell's youth teams until he moved to Barcelona at the age of 13, signed a contract extension in October to remain at Inter Miami through the end of the 2028 campaign.
The idea of considering Messi as a long-term strategic target began to take shape in 2024.
Newell's plan is to build a comprehensive framework that includes the political, social and sporting spheres, to convince Messi to make a return that has an impact that goes beyond the field.
The plan would include improving the club's infrastructure, bringing a competitive sporting environment and having the institutional conditions befitting a figure of global impact.
Reports claim that informal talks have already taken place with Messi's inner circle, although without any concrete progress or firm decisions.
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Messi, 38, joined Inter Miami in July 2023 and has been a central figure for the club. He captained Miami to their first ever trophies -- the Leagues Cup in 2023, the Supporters' Shield in 2024 and the MLS Cup last season.
Messi, who is expected to captain Argentina at the World Cup in the summer, has not given an indication as to when he will retire from football. Newell's believe that returning to the club would be the ideal end to the 2022 World Cup winner's career.
