Guardiola Emerges As Favourite For Italy Job Amid FIGC Search

Former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has emerged as the leading candidate to become the next head coach of the Italy national team, according to reports from Sky Italia.

The Spanish tactician is understood to have held preliminary talks with senior officials of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) during a meeting in Barcelona, where his potential interest in taking charge of the four-time world champions was discussed.

The FIGC delegation was led by newly appointed technical director Paolo Maldini, accompanied by his adviser, Leonardo. While the discussions were described as positive, they remain at an exploratory stage, with no formal offer made to Guardiola.

The former Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City manager has yet to indicate whether he is willing to end his planned sabbatical following his departure from the Premier League champions.

The Italian federation is also considering two other prominent candidates. Former Italy coach Roberto Mancini, who guided the Azzurri to UEFA Euro 2020 glory before stepping down in 2023, remains a strong contender, while ex-Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo, currently coaching in Turkey, is viewed as a long-term option.

Italy are searching for a new manager following the resignation of Gennaro Gattuso, whose departure came after the Azzurri failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The failure means Italy will miss a third successive World Cup finals, an unprecedented setback for one of international football’s most successful nations.

Maldini and Leonardo have since returned to Rome without a firm commitment from Guardiola, leaving the federation to continue assessing its options.

Although no decision has been reached, reports suggest Guardiola remains the FIGC’s preferred choice if he can be convinced to take on the role.

Should the Spaniard decline the offer, Mancini is regarded as the most reliable alternative owing to his previous success with the national team, while Pirlo represents a younger, long-term project for the federation.

The FIGC has insisted that all three candidates remain under consideration, with no timetable yet set for the appointment of Italy’s next head coach.