Mansion Sports – Giovanni Malagò, president of the Italian Football Federation, confirmed that the salary proposed for Spanish coach Pep Guardiola to manage the Italy national team would be treated as an exception to the federation's financial budget. He also emphasized that reaching an agreement remains far from certain.

His statement came after 48 hours of intense speculation. Reports stated that Italy technical director Paolo Maldini, together with his special advisor Leonardo, traveled to Barcelona to hold a series of intensive discussions with Guardiola over the weekend.

The new technical management of the Italy national team is making a serious effort to convince the former Manchester City manager to lead the new project for the Italy national team.

Italian Football Federation Breaks Its Rules for Guardiola

The size of the Spanish coach's salary had previously been viewed as an obstacle to reaching an agreement. However, Malagò's statement has opened the possibility. In remarks quoted by Football Italia, he said:

"There are several financial aspects that must be taken into consideration, and saying that we would have to make a greater financial effort to afford him would still be an understatement."

Pep Guardiola Becomes the Exception

Mentioning the Spanish coach by name, Malagò added:

"There are certain exceptions that can be approved, and those exceptions concern the name that is currently at the center of this entire discussion, namely Pep Guardiola. I do not need to explain the very obvious reasons why he is an exception, but that does not mean there is any guarantee that this matter will be resolved."

Maldini and Leonardo's Visit Signals a New Direction for Italian Football

Observers believe that the direct visit by Paolo Maldini and Leonardo to present the project to Guardiola clearly demonstrates the direction of Italian football's restructuring. Responding to the matter, Malagò said:

"I believe that opening the door to dialogue and keeping that dialogue ongoing is the right and very important step."

The Federation Is Also Holding Discussions with Other Names

Regarding the lack of communication with Antonio Conte and whether the federation is looking for different characteristics in a head coach, Malagò explained:

"This matter does not contain any element of disrespect toward anyone else. Discussions have indeed taken place with other names, and we may move toward a choice that comes from a more modern school of thought, which is ultimately a matter of personal judgment."

The List of Candidates Has Not Yet Been Narrowed Down

When asked whether the list of candidates had now been reduced to Pep Guardiola, Andrea Pirlo, and Roberto Mancini, Malagò concluded his statement by saying:

"Certainly not. We are considering specific characteristics for the head coach, and those names are certainly included within that category."