The Italian Football Federation is reportedly attempting to bring Pep Guardiola to the helm of the Italian national team. According to Sky Sport, the newly appointed technical director Paolo Maldini and advisor Leonardo, both recruited by FIGC president Giovanni Malagò, traveled to Barcelona over the weekend to meet personally with the Catalan coach, who is currently without a contract after concluding his tenure at Manchester City.

Guardiola has stated on multiple occasions, including recently, his intention to take a break from football. He reiterated this at the end of the season, saying he needed to breathe after years of continuous pressure. According to available information, the coach is taking time to consider the offer.

President Malagò publicly confirmed that the dialogue with Guardiola is open, noting that for a coach of this caliber the Federation could make an exception to its usual budget, while also admitting that the deal may not come to fruition. Alongside Guardiola, the names of Roberto Mancini, Antonio Conte, and Andrea Pirlo have been mentioned as candidates for the Italian bench.

The financial obstacle is significant: at Manchester City, Guardiola earned a salary of approximately 14 million euros per year plus bonuses, while the highest-paid coach in the history of the national team, Roberto Mancini, earned around 3 million. The FIGC is reportedly considering the contribution of commercial partners, particularly Puma, technical sponsor of the national team and a brand for which Guardiola serves as global ambassador, to narrow the gap. A precedent exists with Antonio Conte's contract, which was covered for roughly half by a sponsor.

Beyond the financial aspect, the project offered to Guardiola would involve a reform of the Italian football system, with particular attention to the coordination between club playing styles, the development of young players, and the revitalization of the national team's role within the movement. In other European countries, similar-level appointments have been made: France chose Zinedine Zidane and Germany reached an agreement with Jurgen Klopp.

Historical institutional tensions between Guardiola and the FIGC also remain to be resolved, stemming from the nandrolone suspension of 2001 during his time at Brescia, a controversy from which the Catalan coach was fully acquitted in 2007.