'This drives Leo away' - Lionel Messi's Newell's Old Boys return made unlikely by gunmen's threats, says boss Gabriel Heinze

• Messi received threatening note in Rosario
• Shots fired at store owned by wife Antonela's family
• Heinze believes this attack will make Newell's return unlikely

WHAT HAPPENED? The gunmen left a threatening message for the Paris Saint-Germain forward after attacking a food store owned by the family of his wife,Antonela Roccuzzo. A reported 14 shots were fired before the perpetrators fled the scene, leaving a message which read: "Messi, we are waiting for you. Javkin (Pablo Javkin, Rosario's mayor) is a drug dealer. He is not going to look after you."

After the incident, Newell’s Old Boys manager and former Manchester United defender Heinze believes the World Cup winner is unlikely to want to make a return to his boyhood club if it is a risk to himself and his family.

WHAT THEY SAID: “This pays attention to everything, to everyone and everything that this is,” Heinze told reporters. “Of course, this drives Leo and anyone else away. We are talking about this because he is Leo, but there are also many boys who would like to return [to Argentina].”

Ligue 1

Paris Saint-Germain

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4 Jan 202614:45

Paris FC

PAR

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi's contract with PSG ends in the summer and he is yet to sign an extension. However, according to a report in Sport, the 35-year-old has ruled out the option of heading back to Argentina and is also not willing to ply his trade in MLS, with Inter Miami keen to get his services. He wants to continue in Europe playing at the highest level having shone for PSG in the current campaign after an ordinary first season in Paris.

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WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI? The forward will be in action against Nantes in Ligue 1 on Saturday.