Mbappe, speaking before the Champions Trophy against Rennes in Shenzhen, China, said Neymar was a key player for the French league-winners who are desperate for success in Europe next season. “Everyone loves him and I love him so much,” Mbappe said of Neymar, who has been linked with a return to his former club Barcelona. “I don’t want him to leave the team, obviously. I want him to stay. When you think about his situation and then he plays very well and he co-operates with the team you can see what he means to us.”
The 20-year-old Mbappe, who smashed 33 goals for PSG last season, also doused any lingering concerns over his own plans after he talked about playing “elsewhere” at the French league awards ceremony in May. “I think it wasn’t the right place (to say that),” he told reporters in southern Chinese city. “I’d like to say sorry to the players who were there, because I spoiled the party.”
It has been a troubled few months for Neymar, who earned a three-match ban after an altercation with a fan as Rennes stunned PSG on penalties to win the French Cup in April. Neymar also missed Brazil’s triumphant Copa America campaign on home soil after suffering an ankle injury in a warm-up friendly against Qatar. And the 27-year-old has been embroiled in rape allegations, vehemently denied, which were dismissed by Brazilian police on Monday for lack of evidence. “He is still the same Neymar,” said Mbappe of his teammate, who trained with the rest of the squad yesterday.
“We all know he is in very special circumstances. However he is training with us and he is still performing his best which is not unusual and after all he is a very good player.”
Mbappe said he hoped to improve on his 33-goal tally next season, adding that Qatar-owned PSG also want to take the elusive next step in the Champions League. “We’re going to try to win the two national trophies, to not leave matches to chance,” he said. “After that there’s the Champions League, which everyone’s looking at... we have to take that step. We’ve found our way blocked the last few years. It’s up to us to find a way to go as far as possible. Perhaps this is the first time I’ve had a full preseason. I’ve done more this season than in the past. I am happy to be here and looking to give my best at every training session. We want to play well tomorrow make a great start to the season and keep going and return to Paris with the trophy.”
“I want to improve each season. I have to improve every aspect of my game. I’m not perfect, I’m not the finished product, I have still more to discover. I am in a quality squad that helps me progress every day and that’s great for me.”
On the Champions Trophy match against Rennes in Shenzhen, Mbappe said: “Most of the players in this squad were here last year and the other have been made aware of what happened. We play them on Saturday with maximum intensity. There’s a trophy at stake and these matches are special. Above all, we want to win.”