Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino is confident that both Neymar and Kylian Mbappe will still be at the club next season.
Both players' contracts come to an end in 2022 and while there has been a lot of progression in the talks with Neymar, the same cannot be said for Mbappe.
"The objective is to keep the best players," Pochettino told Cadena SER's El Larguero programme when asked about Neymar renewing.
"The club want to win the Champions League and the aim of this club is to keep Neymar and Kylian so that they stay for many years."
There is no doubt that the Argentine coach is optimistic that both players will put pen to paper on new contracts.
"[I am] equally optimistic with both. In three months, we have [developed] a very good relationship," Pochettino noted.
"Both players are very committed to the club. Any team would like to have them in their ranks. I am optimistic that they will stay."
When asked specifically about Mbappe, Pochettino gave a direct response.
"I think he's going to play at PSG [next season]," he stated.
Real Madrid are one of the teams that has been most strongly linked with Mbappe, but Pochettino is determined to keep hold of the 22-year-old.
"As long as he is at PSG, I would like him to be with me," he explained.
"I would fight with all my might for him to stay with us. After sharing a dressing room with Kylian for three months, I will fight with all my might for him to stay with us."
When asked who he believes are the top three players in the world, Pochettino curiously left out one of his star forwards.
"[Lionel] Messi, Cristiano [Ronaldo] and Mbappe," he responded.
PSG will face Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the semi-finals of the Champions League, a tie the former Espanyol coach is expecting to be difficult.
"I like facing Pep because I consider him the best coach in the world, and when you want to improve you have to compete with the best," Pochettino said.
"It's a huge challenge. City have great individual players."
Pochettino was full of praise for Guardiola when asked directly about him.
"His goal is the Champions League. He is doing a great job in England," the Argentine replied.
"City have been able to reinvent themselves after [Manuel] Pellegrini and build a team in [Guardiola's] image and likeness."
Finally, the PSG boss was asked about his Real Madrid counterpart, Zinedine Zidane, who he could face in the Champions League final if both teams advance.
"He is on a par with Guardiola. They have proven to be the best and the results show it," Pochettino stated.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com