AS Roma captain Daniele de Rossi accepts retirement is around the corner.

The midfielder admits he's now getting used to the idea.

“We'd best start getting used to the idea, because there's not long to go," De Rossi told Roma TV.

“Roma goes on, just as it did after Agostino Di Bartolomei, Bruno Conti, Giuseppe Giannini and after the worst disappointments. We kept going after Francesco, who was perhaps the most painful loss for the fans, so of course they can carry on without me.

“If my knee hurts for five days in a row, I think that I want to quit, I tell my wife that this summer we'll take a three-month vacation. As soon as it feels better, I immediately think of the next game.

“I am consistent, though. I don't want to be a burden or someone who takes energy away from the club. I already have some clear ideas on the next few years, but I keep it to myself, so I have the freedom to change my mind."