Roma president James Pallotta has arrived in the Eternal City for a series of important meetings and talks with club officials, declaring "I love Francesco [Totti]" with the future of the 39-year-old captain just one of the items on his agenda.
Totti was dropped from the squad recently by Luciano Spalletti after he gave an interview in which he criticised the new Giallorossi coach of not giving him a fair chance.
The forward's contract is up for renewal in the summer and there have been suggestions he may decide to call it a day, but Pallotta was enthusiastic about Totti's future when he landed at the city's Ciampino airport.
"Just one year? Why not give him another five or 10 years on his contract?" Pallotta told reporters. "We're all making a much bigger issue out of it than it really is. I love Francesco and each time I am here, I talk to him. I can see him staying a long, long time at Roma."
Pallotta is not going to take sides in the debate as to whether Totti or Spalletti was right, however.
"Spalletti's fantastic -- I wish I'd appointed him sooner," Pallotta said. "Now I would like to win the fans back. If we want to have more of a chance, then we need the fans to be with us. It's time to show this profound love for Roma because we're giving it everything we've got.
"At Empoli, you could see a hungry pack of wolves, but we don't yet have that mental strength which makes the difference between a winner and a potential winner."
That is what Spalletti also wants to see, saying he did not return to Roma to be runner-up.
"If I stay at Roma, I want to have the chance to challenge for the Scudetto," he said, reports La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I've finished second several times before. We need to be among that group of sides who have the chance to aim for the title.
"Maybe then you don't actually win it, but you have got to have this attitude."
Spalletti also reflected on his "misunderstanding" with Totti, saying "we were both sorry about it, but everything is back in place now."