ADRIAN MUTU has paid tribute to Francesco Totti and revealed the Roma legend offered to pay nearly £1million of his own money to secure the Romanian’s services when he was linked with a move to the Giallorossi.
Football icon, Totti, is playing his final game for his boyhood club after a staggering 25 years.
Fans will be watching teary-eyed as a true legend of the game waves goodbye to the club he has spent his entire career with.
And former Chelsea star, Mutu, reveals just how much Totti was willing to sacrifice for the team of his heart.
His Instagram post read: “One of my idols is retiring.
“One of the best No.10s in the world, who has influenced my childhood not only with his class, or with his style, but with his incredible goals.
“Francesco, it has been an honour playing against you.
“Watching — admiring — your skills.
“As a player, no one has anything negative to say and I’m sure it’s the same as man.
“In fact, I will tell you a story which will always stay with me.
“Do you remember the summer when I was close to joining Roma?
“One day, Francesco called me and said: ‘Adri, I will take a pay cut of €1m (£870,000) a-year and give it to Fiorentina so we can form an attacking partnership together. Do you want to come?’
“To be completely honest, I couldn’t say no in that moment, how could I when Totti is saying something like that to me?”
Mutu goes on to explain how the love of the Viola fans and manager Cesare Prandelli’s announcement that he would stand down if the Romanian was sold, eventually convinced him to stay.
However, this is yet another example of Totti putting the club he loves before anything else.