Pep Guardiola has held talks with the Italian Football Federation over their managerial vacancy, according to Sky Sports Italy.
Technical director Paolo Maldini travelled to Barcelona to persuade the former Manchester City boss to lead Italy into the 2028 European Championships.
Guardiola has yet to signal whether he would be interested in the role. Although reports suggest Maldini and his advisor Leonardo Araujo outlined plans to Guardiola over three days of talks.
Four-time World Champions Italy – who most recently competed at a major tournament in 2021 when they beat England in the European Championship final – have been absent from the last three World Cups.
Maldini is tasked with recovering the Italian game.
Italy most recently failed to qualify for the World Cup under the stewardship of Gennaro Gattuso, who was sacked after they were beaten in their qualification play-off match against Bosnia-Herzegovina in March.
Guardiola is not the lone contender for the position. Roberto Mancini, who led Italy to European Championship glory in 2021, and Andrea Pirlo are both under consideration.
Pep Guardiola has held talks with the Italian Football Federation over their managerial vacancy
Gennaro Gattuso left his post as Italy boss after failing to qualify for the World Cup
Roberto Mancini (right) could return to the role he left in 2023
Guardiola is without a club for the first time in a decade after leaving Manchester City. He won 20 trophies during his time in the North West, with a win ratio of 70.8 per cent.
The 55-year-old had a verbal agreement with England in 2024 to succeed Gareth Southgate, but changed his mind at the last minute – paving the way for Thomas Tuchel’s appointment.
Tuchel is under contract until the end of Euro 2028 and has committed to staying on as England manager after finishing third in the World Cup – the Three Lions’ best performance since 1966.
Guardiola has previously stated that he would be open to the unfamiliar challenge of international management, although he did vow to take a break after leaving Manchester City.
In an interview with chef Dani Garcia in 2024, he said: ‘What I’m not going to do is leave Manchester City and go to another country to do the same thing as I am now.
‘I wouldn’t have the energy to do so. I’m still here doing what I am today. But the thought of starting somewhere else, with all the process of the training and so on… no, no, no! Maybe a national team, but that’s different.’
There is an emerging trend of top-quality club managers moving into international management. Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Julen Nagelsmann and Carlo Ancelotti all led national teams at the 2026 World Cup.
Former Liverpool manager, rival and friend of Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, is expected to be appointed Germany boss in the coming weeks after Nagelsmann was sacked for a disappointing World Cup campaign.
