Lionel Messi Wants Barcelona Stay 'As Long as Possible' but Not a Long-Term Deal

Lionel Messi has said that while he wants to stay with Barcelona "as long as possible," he does not want to be tied to a long-term contract at the Camp Nou and wants to see the team remain competitive. 

El Pais (h/t AS) reported the Argentinian has a clause in his contract that gives him the option of leaving at the end of each season for free.

In an interview with Sport, Messi said confidentiality agreements prevent him from discussing the clauses in his contract. He continued:

"What I can say is that I want to be at Barcelona as long as possible. I've said throughout my career that this is my home. But I also don't want to have a long-term contract and only be here because of it.

"I want to be here because physically I'm fine, to play and be an important member of the squad.

"And as I said before, I need to see there's a winning team because I want to keep winning things at this club.

"For me, money or a clause don't mean anything. Other things motivate me and the most important thing is having a winning team."

Messi's deal runs until 2021, and Mundo Deportivo (h/t AS' Santi Gimenez) reported the club could hand him a contract for life to ensure he remains at the Camp Nou.

The 32-year-old confirmed he is not yet in talks with Barca over a new deal, but it "isn't something that worries me."

He also reiterated that he has no intention of leaving, but he wants "to keep competing and winning."

Football journalist Dermot Corrigan suggested Barca should be concerned:

Messi has scored 603 goals and assisted a further 242 in 687 games for Barcelona, and he's showing little sign of slowing down with age.

In 50 matches last season, he offered up 51 goals and 22 assists, and he continued to produce jaw-dropping moments along the way:

The team have become increasingly reliant upon him over the years, as their recent results without him in the side have shown:

Barca have won the UEFA Champions League just once since 2011, too, despite the presence of Messi and plenty of other world-class talents, who delivered five La Liga titles in that period.

Keeping him at the club is of paramount importance, so a successful European campaign this season would help in that regard.

The Blaugrana will hope the additions of Antoine Griezmann and Frenkie de Jong to the squad will boost their chances, as well as easing the burden on Messi to carry the team through difficult matches.

Messi has spent his entire senior career at the Camp Nou having joined the club as a teenager in 2001, so he won't walk away from it lightly.

It seems he could be prepared to in the future, though, so it's vital Barca do everything possible on and off the pitch in the coming years to ensure it doesn't happen.