'No intention of retiring in Miami' - Messi's next destination revealed

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 29 Sept 2023 20:04 BST
• 3 min read

Lionel Messi may be enjoying life on and off the field with Inter Miami, but he has every intention of concluding his career with first club Newell's Old Boys according to Catalan media.

Messi joined Inter on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in July, and has since tallied 11 goals and five assists from 12 games in all competitions, leading his new side to the inaugural Leagues Cup in the process.

Reunited with former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba at the David-Beckham-backed franchise, Messi has been public about how much he is enjoying life in Florida.

READ: Lionel Messi at Inter Miami: Goals, assists, results & fixtures in 2023

Messi previously spent 21 years at Barcelona, joining them as 13-year-old when they promised to pay for his growth hormone treatment and going onto win 10 La Ligas, three Champions Leagues and six of his seven Ballons d'Or there.

Newell's return for Messi

The Blaugrana were desperate to bring him back in the summer, and would be so again at the end of his Inter contract in 2025, but they have little chance, according to El Nacional.

"It has become known that the 36-year-old attacker has no intention of retiring in Miami," reports the Catalan outlet's Dani Serrano. "He already has his next destination in mind, planning to hang up his boots at first club Newell's Old Boys."

READ: World's most expensive season ticket - Messi's arrival sees prices soar at Inter Miami

Messi has back at Newell's over the summer when he took part in Maxi Rodriguez's testimonial match, and was met with hero's welcome at the Estadio Marcelo Bielsa.

Whether than adulation on a daily basis would be seen as a positive by Messi and his family remains to be seen, though, with the United States affording him a degree of anonymity despite his status as perhaps the game's greatest ever player.

Anecodtal, perhaps, but Messi has been filmed shopping, largely undisturbed, at a local supermarket, with a significant proportion of the clientele unaware of who he was. Back in Rosario, that would seem unimaginable.