Kylian Mbappé has said he "can't imagine Real Madrid" without his strike partner Vinícius Júnior, despite speculation that the two players would find it difficult to fit into the same forward line.
Mbappé's arrival in Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain last summer sparked suggestions that Vinícius could leave the Bernabéu, with the Brazil international attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, although ESPN has reported that he's now more likely to sign a new deal at Madrid.
Mbappé discussed his relationship with Vinícius in a wide-ranging interview broadcast on Spanish TV channel La Sexta on Sunday, his first one-to-one interview since joining the club.
"The relationship [with Vini] is good," Mbappé said. "It's normal that people want to talk about us, because we're two famous players who can make a difference, but I came to Real Madrid with the idea of playing with Vini.
"I can't imagine Madrid without Vini, I always had the idea of playing with him. We play well together. We can always do better, the fans always expect more of us and it's normal, but I think we play well together and now at this stage of the season we're going to try to help Madrid as much as we can."
After a slow start, Mbappé has now scored 22 goals in LaLiga -- 33 in all competitions -- to help Madrid stay in contention for the league title, reach the Copa del Rey final, and the Champions League quarterfinals.
Ballon d'Or runner-up Vinícius has had a more inconsistent season, but has still scored 11 league goals, and 20 overall, with seven coming in the Champions League.
Mbappé said he'd never doubted joining Real Madrid -- a club he watched as a boy, following idols Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo -- despite the possibility of earning more money elsewhere.
"I have no problems talking about money, but there are more important things. I wanted to play for Real Madrid," Mbappé said. "Money is important, but for me the most important thing is being happy on the pitch and in life."
Mbappé later clarified in a post on X that his comments had "No connection with PSG" and he was simply discussing his options after leaving the Ligue 1 club.
"The question was about the next step and the choice, for example, of Saudi Arabia or a club like Real," Mbappé posted.
In the interview, Mbappé also discussed his mother, Fayza Lamari, saying her "tough image" isn't warranted.
"In the world of football, people don't want there to be a lot of women," Mbappé said. "She isn't my agent, she's my mother. She only wants the best for me."
The France international also discussed his revelation that he'd hit "rock bottom" after struggling earlier in the season, culminating in a missed penalty against Athletic Club on Dec. 4.
"I know people and teammates who've had depression. I wasn't playing well, but it wasn't for mental health reasons," Mbappé said. "I didn't like it when people said that, because it's a serious subject ... In Bilbao I hit rock bottom in a sporting sense, not a mental one."
Madrid face Arsenal in their Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Tuesday, in a demanding month which also includes a Copa del Rey final against Barcelona on April 26.