Chelsea want to buy Messi’s former club

Robin Bairner

• 8 Jan 2024 13:49 GMT
• 2 min read

Chelsea are trying to buy Lionel Messi’s former club, Newell’s Old Boys, the new Argentine president Javier Milei has announced.

Since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital took command of the Stamford Bridge outfit, they have set in motion a multi-club model designed to replicate that of Manchester City.

BlueCo, which is the consortium that officially owns Chelsea, have already moved to buy Ligue 1 outfit Strasbourg while it has explored the possibility of adding other clubs to their stable.

Chelsea are prospecting for a team in Argentine, with Messi’s formative club Newell’s Old Boys and Boca Juniors two of the historic clubs that could be taken over by the Stamford Bridge outfit.

In comments relayed by TyC Sports, Milei has indicated that the wheels are already in motion for such a move.

“We have the desire expressed by Chelsea to buy Boca Juniors, Racing, Estudiantes, Newell’s or Lanus. It's quick money,” he said.

“If the members of these clubs do not want to, they will continue with the current system. I am a member and supporter of Boca and if investment groups come and put a fortune in for us to always win, where do I sign?”

Milei, who is attempting to bring in widespread economic reforms to Argentina having been newly elected in November, is eager to see fresh investment arriving in the country.

“There are Arab groups waiting to invest $3 billion” he asserted. “Investments can come very quickly. It’s a very easy activity, there is no need to set up huge machinery or wait two years as if you were creating a factory.”

The likes of Chelsea and Man City have typically operated by purchasing middle-ranking clubs but in Argentina there appears to be the very real prospect of the Blues buying one of the most historic and well-known clubs in the country.

Strasbourg supporters have reacted angrily to Chelsea’s takeover of their club, with regular protests taking place around Stade de la Meinau against BlueCo.

It appears that in Argentina, there is unlikely to be such opposition, with even Messi’s formative club up for sale.