Rennes coach Sabri Lamouchi has refused to be drawn on his side's chances of keeping Sunderland loanee Wahbi Khazri.
The Tunisia attacking midfielder is on loan at Rennes for the season, having departed the Stadium of Light following Sunderland's relegation from the Premier League, and has excelled back in French football.
Rennes want to keep Khazri, but are facing an uphill battle to do so after several other clubs started to show interest, a group including Ligue 1 heavyweights Lyon.
Lamouchi makes no bones about the fact that Khazri is important for Rennes, but he would not be drawn on keeping the former Bordeaux man.
"Wahbi is our leader on the pitch and in the dressing room", he told a press conference following Rennes' draw with Nice.
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"We are taking advantage of him.
"I hope that it [the loan spell] will end well and we will all be in the same state of mind."
Khazri has scored nine goals in 20 Ligue 1 games for Rennes this season, helping Lamouchi's side to sit a lofty fifth in the standings and on course for Europa League football next term.
Sunderland are expected to sell Khazri in the summer transfer window, especially with the Black Cats on the verge of being relegated to League One.
