Italian Football Federation Opens Doors for Guardiola? President Hints at Breaking Budget Ceiling

Italian Football Federation President Gabriele Gravina recently revealed publicly that the current list of candidates for the national team coaching job includes Pep Guardiola. Since being eliminated by Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup playoffs in April, the Azzurri have missed out on three consecutive editions of the Men's World Cup finals. Head coach Gennaro Gattuso resigned voluntarily after the elimination, leaving the team without a leader to this day.

In an interview, Gravina explicitly stated that the federation is willing to bear additional financial pressure to sign Guardiola—the 55-year-old Spanish tactician terminated his contract with Manchester City earlier this summer and is currently a free agent. "Negotiations with Guardiola may not succeed, but starting and maintaining dialogue is a reasonable and important step," Gravina, who was re-elected federation president on June 22, emphasized on a podcast. "This is by no means a slight on other candidates; we have already held talks with other coaches, and adding more names will not disrupt the overall process."

Regarding budget issues, he acknowledged: "Saying we need to be frugal in the short to medium term is an understatement. However, certain exceptional cases might be approved for exceptions, such as the most high-profile name at present." When the host asked if he was referring to Guardiola, Gravina gave an affirmative answer.

Gravina further clarified that Guardiola, former Italy coach Roberto Mancini, and legendary midfielder Andrea Pirlo are not the only potential candidates. "No, absolutely not," he said. "But if we consider a specific type of coach, these names naturally fit the bill."

Guardiola has previously stated on multiple occasions that he hopes to take charge of a national team in a major tournament before retiring. His coaching resume is extremely illustrious, having managed Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City, amassing a total of 41 major trophies, including three UEFA Champions League titles.

However, according to sources familiar with the matter, Guardiola's communication with the Italian federation has been very limited, and the Spanish tactical master is more inclined to take a break from football after taking over Manchester City in 2016.