The Italian Football Federation has taken unprecedented steps to salvage the national team's damaged reputation by initiating direct talks with former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
Following a third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup and the subsequent resignation of Gennaro Gattuso in April, the Azzurri find themselves at a historic crossroads.
Federation president Giovanni Malago confirmed that senior officials have met with the 55-year-old Spaniard, admitting the governing body is prepared to break its traditional financial constraints to secure his services.
The Barcelona Summit: Maldini and Leonardo Lead the Charge
The ambitious pursuit reached a critical stage when newly appointed FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini and adviser Leonardo flew to Barcelona for a three-day summit with Guardiola.
The proposal outlined a comprehensive four-year reconstruction project aimed at rebuilding Italian football's identity from youth levels up to the senior squad ahead of the 2030 World Cup.
While Guardiola stepped down from Manchester City in May after a grueling decade at the Etihad Stadium citing exhaustion, international management offers a distinctly different pace of work.
FIGC President Giovanni Malago addressed the staggering financial gap between normal federation contracts and the elite wages Guardiola commanded in England during an interview with Cronache di Spogliatoio.
Financial Reality vs National Ambition: Breaking the Wage Cap
Historically, the Azzurri coaching role carries strict budgetary limits, with previous managers earning significantly less than top-tier club executives.
To bridge this divide, Malago publicly acknowledged that special financial allowances are being structured to make an agreement viable.
Recent Italy Head Coach Salary Comparison vs Proposed Exemption
| Manager | Tenure / Status | Reported Annual Salary | Key Achievement / Notes |
| Gennaro Gattuso | 2025–2026 | €800,000 | Resigned after World Cup qualification failure |
| Luciano Spalletti | 2023–2025 | €2.8 Million | Departed following Euro struggles |
| Roberto Mancini | 2018–2023 | €3.0 Million | Euro 2020 Champion |
| Pep Guardiola | Target Candidate | Exemption Level | Offered overarching technical control through 2030 |
Despite these extraordinary measures, Malago emphasized that an agreement remains far from guaranteed, citing Guardiola’s original intention to take an extended sabbatical.
Alternative Shortlist and the Looming September Deadline
While Guardiola represents the primary dream target, the federation maintains secondary options to ensure a manager is in place before Nations League action resumes in September against Belgium.
Former Azzurri boss Roberto Mancini, who led the country to Euro 2020 glory, and current Dubai United manager Andrea Pirlo remain prominent figures on the federation's shortlist.
"Exceptions have been made, exceptions that for example may concern the name that is so overbearing in these hours: Pep Guardiola.
Exceptions for obvious reasons that I am not here to explain, but it is not certain that this thing will go through."
Guardiola’s familiarity with the country—having played in Serie A for Brescia and AS Roma between 2001 and 2003—alongside his fluency in Italian gives the federation belief that a historic deal can still be struck.
The coming days will dictate whether Maldini's vision and an unprecedented financial package can persuade Guardiola to skip his sabbatical and lead Italy's long road back to global relevance.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/czxqdv4818yo
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