Italian Football Federation president Giovanni Malago confirmed official talks with former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola regarding the vacant national team head coach position.
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Subscribe Sekarang →The FIGC is prepared to break traditional wage structures to land the Spaniard. According to Malago, financial exceptions have been made to facilitate negotiations for a candidate of Guardiola's stature.
Talks allegedly took place in Barcelona recently. Technical director Paolo Maldini and advisor Leonardo led the discussions. Guardiola speaks fluent Italian following his previous playing stints at Brescia and Roma.
Guardiola leads a elite three-man shortlist for the Azzurri post. Former national team manager Roberto Mancini and legend Andrea Pirlo remain backup options if deal negotiations fall through with the main target.
The news strikes a blow to English supporters who envisioned Guardiola replacing Thomas Tuchel. The German manager remains under contract until 2028 despite growing pressure following England's recent World Cup semi-final exit.