Italian FA boss reveals plan to bend wage rules to lure Pep Guardiola
By The Guardian, July 22, 2026Financial “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 left Manchester City at the end of last season after winning six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League during a hugely successful 10-year reign.
Held talks
He is free to take up another job, having also coached Barcelona and Bayern Munich, and has been linked with the Italy vacancy for some time, with it reported earlier this week that he has held talks with the Italian federation.
Gennaro Gattuso resigned from the post in April after the four-time World Cup champions failed to qualify for a third tournament in a row.
Not certain it will go through
“[Financial] exceptions have been made, exceptions that for example may concern the name that is so overbearing in these hours: Pep Guardiola,” Malago is quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Exceptions for obvious reasons that I am not here to explain, but it is not certain that this thing will go through.
Roberto Mancini, who led Italy to Euro 2020 glory, and former Azzurri midfielder Andrea Pirlo are other reported candidates for the vacancy.
Asked if Guardiola, Mancini and Pirlo were the only names on the shortlist, Malago added: “Absolutely not. We think about a certain profile, and certainly these names fall into that category.”
The interest follows a high demand for managers with proven pedigree by international national teams. marking a new era of ambition as federations immediately turn their attention toward upcoming campaigns and the 2030 World Cup cycle
Other than the successful EPL coach, Germany is in final talks to sign former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, while the prospective appointment of Zinedine Zidane as France’s next head coach following Didier Deschamps exit also reinforcing the growing need for proven, serial winners at the international level.
Klopp and the German federation are in advanced talks to agree on terms.
Meanwhile, Zidane, who led Real Madrid to two UEFA Champions League titles, is widely touted as the heir apparent for the vacant Les Bleus role.