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

Financial “exceptions” are in place to allow Pep Guardiola to become Italy’s next head coach, the president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Giovanni Malago, has said.

Guardiola left Manchester City at the end of last season after winning six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League during a hugely successful 10-year reign.

The Spaniard is free to take up another job, having also coached Barcelona and Bayern Munich, and has been linked with the Italy vacancy for some time, with it reported earlier this week that he has held talks with the FIGC.

Gennaro Gattuso resigned from the post in April after the four-time World Cup champions failed to qualify for a third tournament in a row.

“[Financial] exceptions have been made, exceptions that for example may concern the name that is so overbearing in these hours: Pep Guardiola,” Malago is quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport. “Exceptions for obvious reasons that I am not here to explain, but it is not certain that this thing will go through.”

Roberto Mancini, who led Italy to Euro 2020 glory, and the former Azzurri midfielder Andrea Pirlo are other reported candidates for the vacancy.

Asked if Guardiola, Mancini and Pirlo were the only names on the shortlist, Malago added: “Absolutely not. We think about a certain profile and certainly these names fall into that category.”

Italian football ​has hit its ​lowest point in nearly 40 ​years, following an early wholesale exit from European club competitions last season ​and the ‌failure to reach ​the World Cup.

The ​appointment of a new national coach is viewed as the first step in overhauling a youth and talent infrastructure that has largely collapsed. Italy’s next fixture is the Nations League Group A match against Belgium on 25 September.