The Italian football federation (FIGC) has engaged in discussions with Pep Guardiola, former coach of Manchester City, and Carlo Ancelotti, currently managing Brazil, regarding the vacant head coach position for the struggling national team.

As the Azzurri grapple with the fallout from failing to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time, the FIGC aims to finalize the new coach within the week.

Paolo Maldini, recently appointed as the federation’s technical director, attended a meeting with Serie A clubs alongside the new FIGC president, Giovanni Malagò, and advisor Leonardo.

Maldini commented on the ongoing negotiations:

Honestly, today we can’t give news about what’s happening. You’ve identified one of our targets. We can’t hide that we also talked with Carlo Ancelotti before talking with Pep. Honestly, it seemed right to start with the best in the world, to see their general availability.

Guardiola concluded a successful decade at Manchester City last season, transforming the club into a European powerhouse and leaving a significant mark on English football.

Maldini and Leonardo recently spent three days in Barcelona discussing the Italy role with Guardiola. Maldini expressed a desire to announce the new coach soon, stating:

The best thing would be to announce the new coach this week, but even more to wait for the person we really want.

Ancelotti, who signed an extension with Brazil until the 2030 World Cup, faced disappointment after the team's early exit in the last 16 at the recent World Cup. He boasts an impressive resume, including five Champions League titles and league titles across major European leagues.

Italy, a four-time world champion, is reeling from their playoff loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in March, which led to the resignations of FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and head coach Gennaro Gattuso, who had succeeded Luciano Spalletti amid a challenging campaign.