Roma captain Daniele De Rossi insisted that he would continue with his hometown club until he felt himself becoming a burden on the team.
The veteran midfielder has spent his entire career with the Giallorossi but, at 35, admitted he was looking ahead to life beyond his playing career.
“I will not become a burden or take something away from the team,” the former Italy international told Roma TV.
“I already have clear ideas about the coming years, though I have never expressed them so that I have the freedom to change my mind. I’m a bit selfish in this way.
“I have a passion for football and becoming a coach is the only role I see for myself in the future. First I’ll need to see if I am ready to subject my family to the stress and pressure of this role though.”
Having seen homegrown icon Francesco Totti retire in 2016, Roma fans may be set to see another captain depart soon, but De Rossi insisted that a new figure always emerges to carry the mantle.
”Roma always goes on. It did so after [Agostino] Di Bartolomei, [Bruno] Conti, [Giuseppe] Giannini. It even did so without Totti, which is perhaps the most painful thing for fans to have imagined.”
De Rossi has scored 61 goals in 600 appearances for Roma and won the Coppa Italia twice with the club.
