Newell's Old Boys president: We will try to convince Barcelona's Lionel Messi to end his career here

Posted Wednesday, June 15, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

Newell's Old Boys president Guillermo Lorente has admitted that he dreams of seeing Lionel Messi wear the shirt of the Rosario club, and has already tried to convince the Barcelona maestro to end his career back in his home town.

A lifelong fan of the club, Messi joined the youth ranks at the age of 8 before moving to Spain when he was barely a teenager. The Ballon D'Or winner is still a passionate follower of the club's fortunes, and this week appeared in a charity match at the Estadio Marcelo Bielsa, along with fellow Newell's alumni Maxi Rodriguez and Javier Zanetti.

Speaking to Ole, Lorente made no effort to hide his desire to one day watch Messi represent his boyhood idols. And although the 23-year-old is still many years away from ending his career, the president revealed that he had already started efforts to bring the forward back in his twilight football years.

"We have been chatting for a while with Leo. We know that it is difficult, but we are doing everything possible to bring him back to Newell's," the chief stated. "We are on it, driving him crazy!"

One player who could return soon, though, is Maxi Rodriguez, currently playing for Liverpool. The 30-year-old midfielder affirmed that he had said yes to Lorente when asked in Rosario, but that a move was hanging on whether the English club would be prepared to release him.

"The president [Lorente] called me and I told him yes," Maxi told La Capital on Tuesday afternoon.

"Now it all depends on the contract I have with Liverpool, that maybe can be loosened a little."