Italy have stepped up their search for a new national team coach after holding talks with Pep Guardiola over the vacant position, according to reports from Sky in Italy.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has made a direct approach to the former Manchester City manager, with newly appointed technical director Paolo Maldini and his adviser, Leonardo, travelling to Barcelona for discussions.
The pair reportedly spent three days with Guardiola, outlining their long-term vision for the Azzurri as the federation looks to rebuild following another disappointing failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
The 55-year-old is yet to decide whether he is interested in taking the role, although the FIGC is said to be making a determined push to appoint him. Roberto Mancini and Andrea Pirlo are also among the candidates under consideration.
Maldini and Leonardo were appointed as part of a major overhaul within Italian football after the country’s third straight failure to qualify for the World Cup.
One of their first responsibilities is to appoint a replacement for Gennaro Gattuso, who left after Italy missed out on this summer’s tournament in North America.
Guardiola has been without a club since ending his remarkable 10-year spell at Manchester City. During his time at the Etihad Stadium, he won 20 trophies and recorded an impressive 70.8 per cent win rate.
Despite Italy lifting the European Championship under Mancini in 2021, the national team has struggled badly since then, missing qualification for each of the last three major tournaments.
Before leaving Manchester City, Guardiola had already indicated that he intended to step away from coaching once his time at the club came to an end.
Speaking during his final press conference as City manager, he said: “No plans for [coaching] for a while. Otherwise, I would be here. I need to step back. I will not [coach] for a while.
“I feel I will not have the energy every day, with expectations to fight for the title. I know myself, I have that energy, but I feel like I will not have it [in the future].”
He later explained that family was a key reason behind his decision.
“There are things that I have not done that I want to do. I still have my father alive. I want to spend more time with him. My kids… And a lot of things as a human being I can do. I’m fortunate I can decide, that’s why I took this decision.”
