Nathan Ridley

Italy has held talks with Pep Guardiola about becoming the new national team manager, with FIGC president Giovanni Malago confirming discussions and acknowledging that appointing him would require exceptional financial measures. Guardiola, recently departed from Manchester City and still tied to City Football Group in an advisory role, remains a top candidate alongside Andrea Pirlo and Roberto Mancini as Italy looks to overhaul its coaching setup following a third consecutive World Cup qualification failure. Malago stressed the importance of maintaining dialogue while indicating that multiple profiles are still under consideration.