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Pep Guardiola weighs Italy proposal after three-day talks with Maldini and Leonardo over a sweeping Azzurri rebuild
Pep Guardiola is considering Italy's proposal after talks with Paolo Maldini and Leonardo, though his planned break from coaching remains the biggest obstacle.
Italy have intensified their attempt to appoint Pep Guardiola as the national team’s next head coach, with Italian Football Federation president Giovanni Malagò confirming that discussions with the former Manchester City manager remain active.
New FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini and his adviser Leonardo travelled to Barcelona to meet Guardiola and present their plans for rebuilding the Azzurri following Italy’s third successive failure to qualify for the World Cup.
According to Sky Sports, Maldini and Leonardo held talks with Guardiola over three days, explaining the scale of the project and attempting to convince him to take charge of the four-time world champions.
The proposal reportedly goes beyond managing the senior team. The FIGC wants to establish a shared footballing identity across the entire national-team system, from the youth sides to the senior squad, as part of a four-year reconstruction leading to the 2030 World Cup.
Malagò has now publicly acknowledged the approach and suggested that Italy could make an exception to their restricted budget to secure one of the most successful coaches in modern football.
“It was right and important to open a dialogue and keep it alive, keep it warm,” Malagò told Cronache di Spogliatoio.
The FIGC president admitted there was no guarantee that an agreement would be reached but said Guardiola’s status justified exploring an exceptional financial arrangement. Reports in Italy have underlined the considerable gap between the federation’s usual coaching budget and the salary Guardiola received during his decade at Manchester City.
Guardiola’s planned break remains major obstacle
Guardiola left Manchester City at the end of last season after winning 20 trophies during 10 years at the club. Although he is currently available, the Spaniard has repeatedly made clear that he intends to step away from management and spend more time with his family.
“No plans for coaching for a while. Otherwise, I would be here. I need to step back,” Guardiola said during his final Manchester City press conference.
Guardiola also explained that he wanted to spend more time with his father and children and no longer believed he would have the daily energy required to challenge for club football’s biggest trophies every season.
However, the 55-year-old has previously left the door open to international management, describing it as different from taking another demanding club position. That distinction has encouraged Italy to test whether the lighter schedule of international football could persuade him to shorten his planned break.
Guardiola listened to the project presented by Maldini and Leonardo but reportedly reiterated that he does not currently want to return to coaching. The FIGC nevertheless considers the dialogue open while assessing whether sporting control, a wider rebuilding mandate and an improved financial offer can change his position.
Italy have been without a permanent coach since Gennaro Gattuso departed after the Azzurri lost their World Cup play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties. Maldini was subsequently appointed to oversee a sweeping reform of the national-team structure, with Leonardo joining him as an adviser. Andrea Pirlo is reportedly Maldini and Leonardo’s preferred alternative should Guardiola reject the proposal, while former Italy coach Roberto Mancini also remains under consideration.
“How long until the coach? Just a few more days’ patience,” Malagò told Sky Sport Italy, insisting that the final appointment would be agreed jointly with Maldini and Leonardo.
