Guardiola ‘demands €20m a year’ to take Italy job as federation admits contact

Pep Guardiola has held talks over becoming Italy head coach but is understood to have asked for a €20m (£16.9m) annual salary – twice what the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is reportedly prepared to pay.

The prospect of the Manchester City manager taking charge of the Azzurri has resurfaced after Giovanni Malago, president of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) and one of the most influential figures in Italian sport, publicly acknowledged contact with the Spaniard.

Malago even suggested that in Guardiola’s case financial “exceptions” could be made to accommodate his wages, underlining the scale of Italy’s ambition to end a deepening football crisis.

However, there is no guarantee the discussions will lead to an agreement, with Guardiola widely believed to be considering a sabbatical once he leaves Manchester City.

‘Exceptions’ on budget for Guardiola

Speaking about the federation’s search for a new national coach, Malago confirmed that dialogue had taken place with Guardiola and hinted that the normal financial framework could be flexed to try to lure him.

He said that for someone of Guardiola’s calibre, it might be possible to introduce “استثناءات” – “exceptions” – in the budget to pay his salary.

His comments came as Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Thursday that Guardiola has requested a €20m yearly wage to take over the national team, a figure well above the package FIGC officials are said to have envisaged.

According to the newspaper, the demand is so high it is effectively designed to push Italy into turning down the move, rather than a sign the coach is actively pushing for the job.

Guardiola seen as ideal – but at a price

La Gazzetta dello Sport insists Guardiola remains the preferred option of leading Italian sporting directors Paolo Maldini and Leonardo, who view him as the ideal architect for a long‐term rebuild of the national side.

But they are said to be unwilling – and perhaps unable – to support such a salary, even with the “exceptions” Malago has floated.

The 53‐year‐old has previously hinted he would like to pause before embarking on a new project after what will be a decade in charge at Manchester City, tempering expectations that he might swiftly move into international management.

Italy’s long search for a new leader

With Guardiola’s demands and intentions uncertain, the FIGC has widened its search for a new coach to replace the current regime and spearhead a reset of the national team.

Beyond Guardiola, Andrea Pirlo has emerged as the leading candidate, according to local reports, with Roberto Mancini and Antonio Conte mentioned as the next names in the frame.

All three have strong links to the Azzurri: Pirlo as a World Cup‐winning playmaker, Mancini as the coach who delivered Euro 2020 glory, and Conte as a former national-team boss and serial title winner in club football.

Azzurri crisis after triple World Cup failure

The urgency behind Italy’s approach to Guardiola reflects the scale of the national team’s decline.

The four‐time world champions have failed to qualify for the last three World Cups – 2018, 2022 and the expanded 2026 edition – an unprecedented run of absences that has shaken Italian football and sparked calls for sweeping reform.

The FIGC is under pressure to find not just a high‐profile coach but a figure capable of overhauling playing style, mentality and youth development, and of restoring Italy to the global stage.

In that context, Guardiola is viewed in Italy as a transformational appointment who could reposition the Azzurri at the forefront of the international game.

For now, though, his reported €20m price tag and his own desire for a break from club football cast serious doubt over whether Italy can turn their bold pursuit into a historic deal.