Financial ‘exceptions’ made for Pep Guardiola to become next Italy head coach

Financial arrangements have been put in place to clear a path for Pep Guardiola to become Italy’s next head coach, according to the president of the Italian Football Federation, Giovanni Malago.

Speaking about the national team vacancy, Malago said “financial exceptions” would be made to accommodate Guardiola, whose name has been repeatedly linked with the role. The reported interest comes after Italy were left searching for a new manager following Gennaro Gattuso’s resignation in April.

Guardiola is available after leaving Manchester City at the end of last season, closing a 10-year spell in which he won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League. Before his time in England, he coached Barcelona and Bayern Munich, building one of the most decorated résumés in world football.

The Italian job became open after the four-time world champions failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, intensifying scrutiny on the national setup and adding urgency to the search for a successor. According to the feed summary, Guardiola has been under consideration for some time, and reports earlier this week said he had held talks with the FIGC.

Other names have also been mentioned in connection with the post, including Roberto Mancini and Andrea Pirlo, but the public comments from the federation president have put Guardiola at the center of the discussion. No appointment has been announced.

This report is based on a monitored public feed and reflects information attributed to The Guardian Football. Source: The Guardian Football - https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/22/financial-exceptions-pep-guardiola-next-italy-head-coach