Neymar pledges future to PSG and urges Kylian Mbappe to sign new contract

Brazilian had frequently been linked with a return to Barcelona

(AFP via Getty Images)

Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar said he wants to remain at the Ligue 1 champions and hopes Kylian Mbappe will also pledge his future to the club.

Neymar joined PSG from Barcelona in 2017 for a world record fee of £198m but Spanish media have frequently linked the 28-year-old with a switch back to the Catalan side.

Mbappe has 18 months remaining on his contract in Paris and new manager Mauricio Pochettino has played down reports the French forward could be on the move to Real Madrid.

"I'm very happy today. Things have changed a lot, I can't exactly explain why - if it's just me, or something else has changed," Neymar, whose contract expires in June 2022, told French television channel TF1.

"I have adapted. I feel calmer and I'm very happy here. I want to stay at PSG and I hope Kylian will stay too. Of course, that's the wish of every PSG supporter... With Kylian, we have a relationship of brothers ... We really like to play together.

Neymar hopes Kylian Mbappe will remain in Paris (AFP via Getty Images)

"We want PSG to be a great team and I want to continue doing what I've done every day in Paris - play football and be happy. That's the most important thing."

Reuters