One of the great frustrations for Francesco Totti during his playing career with Roma was repeated failed attempts to convince world class talents to join the club, he has confessed.
Given the power that the former Giallorossi wielded during his time on the field at the Stadio Olimpico, he tried to exercise it on several occasions to help bring players to the club who could make a difference.
Among them were Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ronaldo but the Lupi’s financial constraints prevented any deals from being done and meant that Totti hung up his boots with just five trophies with his boyhood club, including one Scudetto.
“To win, I’ve always said that real champions are needed,” Totti said in his weekly Il Venerdi piece with La Repubblica. “I wanted Ibrahimovic and tried to get him and other players who were among the strongest in the world.
“Not only in attack, but also midfielders and defenders but unfortunately, we had a limit. We didn’t have the economic possibilities to spend the money on these champions that we needed.
“I honestly tried to bring some unthinkable players to Roma.”
After ending his playing career in 2017, ‘Er Pupone’ is now a director at the Stadio Olimpico.
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com