Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster wants to keep hold of Fabio Cannavaro despite the club's board reluctance to renew his contract, according to Spanish daily AS. Speculation has been rife that the Italian defender, whose current deal runs out at the end of the season, would return to boyhood club Napoli. Real's board was reportedly ready to release him in the summer as by then Argentinean defender Ezequiel Garay would have completed his move to the Spanish champions. But German tactician Schuster and some of Real's old guard like Raul and Iker Casillas are persuading the board to grant Cannavaro a contract extension. The 35-year-old defender joined Real from Italian giants Juventus after helping Italy win the 2006 World Cup.