Francesco Totti has agreed a new one-year contract with Roma. Totti met the club president, James Pallotta, on Tuesday and the 39-year-old has now confirmed that he will play on into a 25th season in the Italian capital.
“I really wanted this contract, it represents the realisation of my dream,” said Totti, who will turn 40 on 27 September. “I always wanted to end my career having only worn one shirt – the Roma one.
“After speaking with the president, I am even more convinced that, working together, we can achieve great things.”
Totti endured a difficult campaign last season, enduring a number of injury problems and lack of form while he was also involved in a reported bust-up with the manager, Luciano Spalletti, who returned to the Stadio Olimpico in January.
But Totti, who made his 600th appearance for the club in a 3-0 win against Chievo in May, finished the season strongly, notching five goals and four assists and playing a key role in helping Roma to a third-place finish in Serie A.
Totti joined Roma in 1989, aged 12, after progressing rapidly through the junior ranks, was handed his first-team debut as a 16-year-old in March 1993 – the coach Vujadin Boskov bringing him on in an away match against Brescia.
He scored his first goal for the club in September 1994 against Foggia and quickly established himself as a first-team regular, becoming the youngest club captain in the history of Serie A when he inherited the armband from the Brazilian defender Aldair in 1998.
“It’s quite fitting that on the anniversary of the day AS Roma was founded, Francesco Totti has signed a new playing contract,” Pallotta said.
“No one has played more games or scored more goals for this football club than Francesco Totti and we’re delighted that he will continue for one more season. He’s earned this contract and now we want Francesco’s final season on the pitch to be the start of a new era of success for AS Roma.”
