Man City news: Italy plot ambitious Pep Guardiola swoop

Missing retired connected a 3rd successive World Cup has sparked a full-scale clear-out successful Italy. Alongside the departure of Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina, Gennaro Gattuso has besides stepped down arsenic nationalist squad boss. Pep Guardiola has present emerged arsenic a people to spearhead the task for the adjacent cycle.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Azzurri are determined to astatine slightest trial the waters with the Manchester City boss. The predetermination of a caller FIGC president is lone scheduled for June 22, yet expectations are that the Spaniard should person a telephone with the connection earlier that date.

The candidates for the predetermination to win Gravina volition beryllium revealed connected May 13. Guardiola, for his part, could beryllium successful the Citizens dugout for the FA Cup last 3 days later, portion the last circular of the Premier League, wherever they are successful a rubric contention with Arsenal, is pencilled successful for May 24.

Despite the Spanish brag being nether declaration until June 2027, his enactment astatine the Etihad Stadium adjacent play is not guaranteed. The Italian nationalist squad are connected the hunt for a cardinal fig to assistance thrust a wholesale overhaul of the country's football, and judge Guardiola is the antheral who champion fits that profile.

Guardiola's brushed spot for Italy

Although the 55-year-old is the antheral down the top epoch of occurrence successful Manchester City's history, helium has already shown signs of fatigue since 2024-25. With taking a sabbatical not a priority, the Spaniard is weighing up the thought of taking complaint of a nationalist team, which would onslaught a equilibrium betwixt the regular grind of nine beingness and the pressure-cooker ambiance of tourney windows.

His precedence people was England, but Thomas Tuchel has extended his woody until 2028. Brazil, who besides antecedently showed an interest, are connected the verge of handing Carlo Ancelotti a caller woody done to 2030. With that successful mind, Italy emerges arsenic an perfect destination, fixed Guardiola's beardown ties to the country.

It is worthy noting that, successful his playing days, Guardiola turned retired for Roma and Brescia. Fluent successful Italian, the Spanish brag opened the doorway to moving successful Serie A during an interrogation successful 2018. Speaking to ESPN, helium besides revealed his imagination of managing a nationalist squad astatine a World Cup.

'I would similar to person the acquisition of surviving done a World Cup, oregon a Euro oregon a Copa America, oregon immoderate it is,' Guardiola said.

'I don't cognize erstwhile that would be, if that is five, 10, 15 years from present but I would similar to beryllium astatine a World Cup arsenic a coach. To enactment for a nationalist team, they person to privation you, conscionable similar a club. I don't cognize who would privation me,' the brag concluded successful 2021.

Salary is the stumbling block

According to Marca, the main hurdle for the FIGC successful their bid to person the Spaniard is simply a fiscal one. Guardiola earns a gross yearly wage of €24.8m (£21.1m). Roberto Mancini was connected €3m (£2.55m) nett per twelvemonth aft winning Euro 2020 successful 2021.

However, the FIGC could get astir the contented if a sponsor were to enarthrosis a important information of the outgo of the Spanish boss. That was however the Italian nationalist squad funded Antonio Conte successful 2014, for example, pursuing his trophy-laden spell astatine Juventus.

The Italians are besides hoping that wealth volition not beryllium a sticking constituent for Guardiola. The task of prising the brag from Manchester City is difficult, but the Azzurri judge it is not impossible. While the federation goes done a transitional phase, the Spaniard tin number connected the backing of erstwhile defender Leonardo Bonucci.

'If we privation a extremist alteration successful the nationalist team, I'd accidental the close antheral for the occupation is Pep Guardiola. It's precise difficult, but dreaming costs nothing,' the FIGC method manager said this week