体坛英语新闻：Zidaane wants Pepe and Morata to stay, but sends message to Isco

MADRID, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane on Saturday made a call for central defender Pepe to extend his current deal with the club.

The 33-year-old will be a free agent at the end of the season with everything pointing to him rejecting the chance to sign a new contract with the club and opting to move to China.

"We are not thinking about what could happen in the future, but in what is happening now....I would like him to stay, because he has been and continues to be an important player. We will see what happens in June, but of course I would like Pepe to stay," said Zidane in his press conference ahead of Sunday's game away to Celta Vigo, which was cancelled shortly afterwards as the result of high winds which have damaged Celta's Balaidos Stadium.

Another player marked for a possible move away is striker Alvaro Morata, who has had to play second fiddle to Karim Benzema for most of the campaign.

Zidane admitted that Morata "wants to play more often," but insisted that "he is going to have more time, although I don't know how much more, between now and the end of the season.

"I am responsible and I take the decisions. But he is committed to the project and working well," he commented about the striker.

Zinedine was also asked about Isco, another player who looks as if they could be on their way out of the club at the end of the season, The Real Madrid coach gave a veiled reply in which he said, "I am satisfied, but he can do more. He is a player who can make a difference," he concluded.