Francesco Totti has warned Roma they must buy at least two more star players to hope of competing for the top three places.

“John Arne Riise and Simone Loria are two excellent reinforcements, but now I expect another two signings of great quality,” he told the Gazzetta dello Sport.

“If we want to compete with Inter, Milan and Juventus, we need at least two more important players. At the moment, we are the fourth strongest side in Serie A.”

While those two have been brought in from Liverpool and Siena respectively, Roma have also sold Amantino Mancini, Ludovic Giuly and Matteo Ferrari.

It is particularly galling to lose Mancini to rivals Inter just a year after Cristian Chivu made the same journey.

“Inter are trying to strengthen their side by weakening ours. They have the capabilities to cherry-pick from other clubs, while it is more difficult for us.”

Transfer gossip has them very close to capturing Brazilian hitman Julio Baptista from Real Madrid, although there are also rumours that Jose Antonio Reyes is on his way from Atletico Madrid.

“I like Baptista and hope he does come to Roma, but we need another reinforcement after that.”

The transfer market could make a sharp turn for the Giallorossi after it was announced this morning that Italpetroli – the Sensi family’s company that owns Roma – have agreed to extend the terms of their loan with UniCredit.

This means more cash is freed up in the short-term to spend on new players.

“We will try to repeat our past success and aim for something more important than the Coppa Italia,” said the captain.

“The fact the Champions League Final will be played in Rome is an event that for my generation won’t return again. It is our objective, even more so than the Scudetto.”

The last time this match was hosted by the Italian capital was in 1984, when Liverpool and Bruce Grobbelaar’s ‘spaghetti legs’ saw off the Giallorossi in a shoot-out.

“I was eight years old. I watched it on television with my whole family. I remember Roberto Pruzzo’s goal and the silence during the penalties. Rome was mute.”

Ref From channel4.com

Amantino Mancini thinks Inter are “scarily strong” and quickly moved to smooth the controversy with his old club Roma.

“I just met Jose Mourinho, he seems a relaxed and likeable person. We are both here to achieve something important, aiming for Serie A and the Champions League,” said the Brazilian in his presentation Press conference after penning a four-year contract.

“I can say that even without other new signings, this team is already scarily strong. They won two Scudetti on the field in as many years, so they have quality.”

This statement sits somewhat awkwardly with what was said by Mancini’s former Roma teammates, who had blamed refereeing ‘help’ for the last title.

“I am a Nerazzurri player now, what happened last year is in the past. I thank Roma for everything they did for me, as I spent five wonderful years there.”

The Brazilian contingent used to be in the minority at the club, but Mancini’s arrival increases their power with Douglas Maicon, Maxwell, Julio Cesar and Adriano.

“It will be easier to settle in thanks to them, but I have been playing in Italy for a very long time now. If you work in a certain way, things come automatically, especially if you have help from the players that Inter can boast.”

Amantino managed 40 Serie A goals in 154 appearances and also impressed in the Champions League, most memorably with his step-over strike against Lyon.

However, uncertainty over his future, contract wrangling and the persistent rumours linking him with Inter made for a very fraught relationship with the Giallorossi supporters.

“I am only sorry that in the latter part of last season I was suffering from an injury to the top of my foot that I sustained against Real Madrid.

“I was out for three weeks and had to start all over again, but I still managed to net 13 goals. I was happy at Roma, though, and can only thank the club, fans and players.”

Ref From channel4.com