Roma legend Francesco Totti may well be forced to consider a move elsewhere for the final years of his career as he continues to be snubbed by coach Luciano Spalletti.
The Italian veteran has been dropped from the squad to face Palermo this weekend, and has previously publicly revealed his disappointment at not getting enough playing time despite having now returned from injury.
While he is set to meet with club President James Pallotta this week to discuss a contract renewal, as his current deal is set to expire this summer, it doesn’t look good for the iconic Roma figure as Spalletti continues to leave him out.
The 39-year-old could therefore opt to retire, or former international teammate Christian Vieri has suggested that he should consider a move abroad given that it would be highly unlikely that he would ever feature for another Italian club having spent his entire career with the Giallorossi.
“If he wants to and he’s feeling fit, then he should keep playing,” Vieri told Sky Sports Italia, as noted by Football Italia. “If he wants to stop, he can stop. It’s up to him.
“Some want to play and some want to stop. He’s fine physically, so he can decide. The important thing is that nobody should tell him what to do.
“[Coach Luciano] Spalletti is a great oach and a great person. He’ll do really well. But he’ll have to take some decisions. Francesco is 40 years old, he wants to play and he’s a great champion. He could go abroad, or he could finish at Roma. Whatever decision he takes will be the right one.”
Totti made his debut for Roma in 1992, and despite offers from big clubs around Europe over the years, he has remained loyal to his boyhood side. Whether or not he gets the fairytale ending remains to be seen, but it is clear that problems remain between him and Spalletti which could force his hand.