The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has met with Pep Guardiola to convince him to take over as national team head coach, according to Sky in Italy.

Paolo Maldini, the new technical director of the FIGC, and Leonardo, his advisor, travelled to Barcelona to speak with the former Man City boss.

It remains to be seen if Guardiola wants the job, but the FIGC is making concrete attempts to bring him in as the national boss.

Other candidates for the role are Roberto Mancini and Andrea Pirlo.

Maldini and Leonardo spoke with Guardiola over three days, explaining their project for the Italian national team.

The FIGC brought in Maldini and Leonardo as part of a huge shake-up in Italian football following their failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.

Their task was to find a successor to Gennaro Gattuso, who left his role after missing out on qualification for this summer’s tournament in North America.

Guardiola is a free agent for the first time in a decade after ending his 10-year association with Manchester City. He won 20 trophies during his time at the club and finished with a win ratio of 70.8 per cent.

Italy have failed to qualify for the last three major tournaments since winning the European Championships in 2021 under Mancini.

• What Guardiola said on his future after City departure

Speaking to Sky Sports a year before leaving the Etihad, Guardiola revealed he would be taking a break from football when the time came for his tenure at City to end.

Following the official announcement of his departure, Guardiola doubled down on this suggestion by saying that a desire to spend more time with his family was the catalyst for his decision.

“No plans for [coaching] for a while. Otherwise I would be here. I need to step back. I will not [coach] for a while,” he said during his final Manchester City press conference.

“I feel I will not have the energy every day, with expectations to fight for the title. I know myself, I have that energy, but I feel like I will not have it [in the future].”

Speaking exclusively with Sky Sports, he added: “There are things that I have not done that I want to do. I still have my father alive. I want to spend more time with him. My kids… And a lot of things as a human being I can do. I’m fortunate I can decide, that’s why I took this decision.”

• What about England?

It was widely reported in 2024 that Guardiola had reached a verbal agreement with the FA to replace Gareth Southgate as the new England boss. However, he had a change of heart and opted to stay in Manchester, as Thomas Tuchel was eventually appointed, guiding England to their best World Cup finish on foreign soil.

Tuchel is contracted until the end of Euro 2028 and has vowed to see out his new deal, which was extended in February.

What is known is that Guardiola would be interested in the challenge of moving into international management. In an interview with chef Dani Garcia in 2024, he said: “What I’m not going to do is leave Manchester City and go to another country to do the same thing as I am now.

“I wouldn’t have the energy to do so. I’m still here doing what I am today. But the thought of starting somewhere else, with all the process of the training and so on… no, no, no! Maybe a national team, but that’s different.”