Mauro Baldissoni confirmed Francesco Totti’s Roma contract “is until June, then another six years as a director.”
The captain’s current deal expires at the end of the season and he turns 40 in September, but complained in a television interview this weekend that he still feels like a player and cannot be forced into retirement.
Mauro Baldissoni confirmed Francesco Totti’s Roma contract “is until June, then another six years as a director.”
The captain’s current deal expires at the end of the season and he turns 40 in September, but complained in a television interview this weekend that he still feels like a player and cannot be forced into retirement.
He above all said there was a lack of “respect and clarity,” but this is increasingly aimed at the club rather than Coach Luciano Spalletti.
“He has a contract until June as a player, then another for six years as a director,” chief Baldissoni told Sky Sport Italia this evening.
“In order to continue as a player, we left it to the President and he’ll have an opportunity to talk to Francesco.
“In a few days Jim Pallotta will be in Rome and I’ve already had the chance to say Totti’s presence at Roma in future years is certain.
“The issue is whether to benefit from his qualities on the pitch, close to the Coach or among the directors. He will certainly continue working with us.
“It is his choice whether he continues to play, but he’ll talk that over with the President. Nothing changes as far as we are concerned.
“It’s not true that we consider him a former player. We see him train every day and he was meant to play this evening against Palermo.
“For next year the dialogue between him and the President is direct. Nothing has changed and they are meeting again for this reason.”
Have Roma lacked respect by not telling Totti clearly they aren’t offering a contract renewal as a player?
“We show respect for everyone, so we certainly can’t lack it when dealing with someone who set records with this club and we consider to be the best player in the history of Italian football.
“He talked about respect in the sense of feeling better integrated as a player on the field, but he wasn’t talking about a lack of respect from the club.
“Spalletti removed him from the squad for tonight’s match because that interview created a distraction. Totti was close to the team today and tomorrow will be in training.”