Just when you thought the international football managerial carousel couldn’t get any wilder, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has dropped an absolute bombshell. FIGC President Giovanni Malagò has officially confirmed that discussions have taken place with none other than Pep Guardiola to take charge of the Azzurri.
Italy is currently searching for a high-profile savior after Gennaro Gattuso stepped down following another devastating failure to qualify for the World Cup. Having missed out on three consecutive World Tournaments, the four-time champions are desperate for a world-class leader to restore their former glory.
Speaking publicly on the matter, Malagò admitted that while Italy generally operates under tight financial constraints, the federation is willing to make a major financial “exception” to land the former Manchester City boss.
“Exceptions have been made, exceptions that for example may concern the name that is so overbearing in these hours: Pep Guardiola,” Malagò revealed. He added that opening a direct dialogue with the 55-year-old tactical genius was essential, even if landing him remains a monumental task. Reports out of Italy suggest legendary figures Paolo Maldini and Leonardo even traveled to Barcelona to meet Guardiola in person.
However, getting Pep to sign on the dotted line is far from done. Having stepped away from Manchester City at the end of last season after ten trophy-laden years, Guardiola is reportedly leaning towards a long-overdue sabbatical to recharge his batteries.
With former Euro 2020 winner Roberto Mancini and Andrea Pirlo also on the federation’s radar, Italy is keeping its options open. But the mere fact that the Azzurri are pulling out all the stops for Pep proves just how serious they are about rewriting their footballing destiny.
