FIGC says financial “exceptions” arranged to enable Pep Guardiola to take Italy job
The president of the Italian Football Federation confirmed steps have been taken to accommodate Pep Guardiola as the next head coach of the national team. Financial “exceptions” are in place to allow Pep Guardiola to become Italy’s next head coach, the president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Giovanni Malago, has said.
Guardiola departed Manchester City at the end of last season after a decade in charge that brought significant silverware. During that hugely successful 10-year reign he won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League. He is available to accept a new role and, having previously managed Barcelona and Bayern Munich, has been linked with the Italy vacancy for some time. It was reported earlier this week that he has held talks with the FIGC, and other names such as Mancini and Pirlo have also been mentioned in relation to the post.
The Italy position became vacant after Gennaro Gattuso resigned in April following a failure to qualify for a third successive World Cup. That outcome was a significant setback for the four-time World Cup champions and prompted the federation to begin a search for a new coach. Malago’s comments represent the federation speaking publicly about both interest in a high-profile candidate and the measures under consideration to secure him.
Guardiola’s availability is anchored by his exit from Manchester City at the end of the previous season, leaving him free to pursue another appointment. His record includes domestic and continental honours accumulated over ten years at the top level of European football. The reports of conversations with FIGC officials add weight to speculation that a formal offer could be possible if contractual and financial matters are resolved.
The listing of other possible successors underlines the FIGC’s wider review of potential appointments, with names such as Mancini and Pirlo appearing in reports alongside Guardiola. The federation’s public acknowledgement of interest in Guardiola signals the seriousness with which it is approaching the vacancy. Any final decision will follow further discussions between the coach and the FIGC.
Malago’s statement and the reports of talks leave Guardiola among the leading candidates to replace Gattuso. The federation appears to have signalled a willingness to adapt terms in order to pursue a high-profile appointment, while the search for a permanent Italy head coach continues.