Italy Launches Bold Financial Bid to Lure Pep Guardiola
Italy's football federation is offering financial exceptions to recruit Pep Guardiola as national team coach following a period of poor performance.
Mehmet Şahinoğlu ·
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has confirmed formal discussions with Pep Guardiola regarding the vacant head coach position for the men's national team. Federation head Giovanni Malago stated on Wednesday that the organization is prepared to authorize specific financial exceptions to secure the 55-year-old manager, who departed Manchester City following a decade-long tenure.
The move follows Italy's failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, a performance decline that has prompted a search for new leadership. While Malago acknowledged that an agreement is not guaranteed, he emphasized the strategic necessity of initiating high-level dialogue to stabilize the program.
The federation is currently evaluating multiple candidates, including former internationals Andrea Pirlo and Roberto Mancini, ahead of the Nations League fixture against Belgium on September 25.
Guardiola, who previously played for Brescia and AS Roma, remains the primary target for a federation seeking to restore the competitive standing of a four-time World Cup champion. The proposed financial adjustments represent a significant departure from standard budgetary constraints to accommodate the high market value of the former Premier League champion.