Lionel Messi wants to stay at Barcelona for rest of his career but admits he needs 'winning project' at Camp Nou

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Ben Hayward13 September 2019

Barcelona captain Lionel Messi insists he is happy at Camp Nou, but admits he wants a "winning project" with the Catalan club.

A report in El Pais last week claimed Messi could walk away for free at the end of this season, due to a clause in his contract, and Gerard Pique later appeared to confirm that information.

"I can't confirm anything because in the contracts there is a confidentiality clause and I can't say anything," Messi told Sport in an interview published on Thursday.

"What I can say is that I want to be at Barcelona as long as I can, spend all my career here because this is my home.

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"I don't want a long contract and to stay because I have a contract, but because I want to be in good shape physically, to play, to be important, and see that there is a winning project.

"I want to keep winning things with the club. I want to keep achieving important things. And for me, the clause doesn't mean anything. Money neither. I am moved by other things. The most important thing for me is a winning project."

Asked if that was a condition to him seeing out his career at Camp Nou, he said: "Of course. I want to win. And I want to win with this club. This is my home. I have no intention of moving, but I want to keep competing and winning."

Despite the contract talk, Messi added that there are no negotiations taking place over a new deal at the moment.

"My dad deals with that," he said. "But we're not talking to Barca. He would have told me."

Messi's current contract expires in the summer of 2021.

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