Ancelotti: Nene and Pastore to stay

Brazilian winger Nene was PSG’s top scorer last season but has found himself marginalised following the signings of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Argentine attacking midfielder Pastore, meanwhile, arrived last year amidst much fanfare – not to mention a £40 million transfer fee – but has failed to hit the required heights for the big-spenders, landing himself in hot water this week after crashing his car at the club’s training ground.

But Ancelotti said both players look set to remain at the Ligue 1 leaders – for now anyway.

“Nene has not asked to leave,” the Italian said at his team’s training ground. “I haven’t got time to go to Nene’s house, and if he wants to he can speak directly to me or the club’s board.

“He has not done that yet – actually he has gone on his Christmas holidays early, because he wasn’t fit for our last match of the year against Brest.

“We’ll speak when he returns.”

Pastore, meanwhile, was reported to have driven his car into the gates of a car park at the club’s training ground in protest at its exclusive use for coaching staff.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is understood to have thrown a similar tantrum about the arrangement, which infuriates players who have to walk longer than the manager after a day’s training.

The Argentine, who joined PSG from Palermo in 2011, has blown hot and cold in Paris, but his recent form has been good and Ancelotti does not expect him to request a move.

“At the moment he is happy, there is no problem with him staying here,” Ancelotti said.

“He is confident, playing well finally.”

The player himself had complained to an Italian magazine that the French media were hostile to foreign players, and that he had considered joining Milan before moving to Parc des Princes.

Ancelotti laughed those comments off, saying he too had plenty of positive things to say about his former club.”