Spanish coach Pep Guardiola has re-emerged as a candidate to take charge of the Italian national team, following the appointment of Paolo Maldini and Leonardo at the helm of the Italian Football Federation's new project.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that the Italian Football Federation appointed Paolo Maldini as technical director on a four-year contract until the end of the 2030 World Cup, with his former Milan teammate and former Milan and Paris Saint-Germain director Leonardo joining him as an advisor in the new project.

Maldini's four-year project comes with unprecedented powers in his new role, as he is expected to make widespread changes to the workings of the Italian national team and the youth setup.

Appointing a new head coach tops Maldini's current priorities.

In recent weeks, the race for the position was limited to Roberto Mancini and Antonio Conte, with Conte enjoying support from Serie A clubs, while Mancini has a strong and long-standing relationship with Italian Football Federation President Giovanni Malagò.

Both coaches have extensive experience and have previously led Italy, but each faces reservations: there are doubts about Conte's tactical suitability, while Mancini's decision to leave the Italy job in 2023 to coach Saudi Arabia remains a point of contention for some.

La Gazzetta dello Sport confirmed that Conte and Mancini are not at the top of Maldini and Leonardo's list, noting that Guardiola has strongly returned to the pool of candidates and is no longer a 'fantasy' option as previously perceived, given his stints at Manchester City and Barcelona.

Salary remains the biggest obstacle to signing Guardiola, as the newspaper clarified that his total annual salary in his final season with Manchester City (2025-2026) was around €25 million.

Serie A clubs are expected to contribute to the new head coach's salary in an attempt to bring in a top-level manager, but this contribution will not be enough to reach the salary Guardiola earned at Manchester City.

La Gazzetta dello Sport indicated that hope remains, but the decision will largely depend on the discussions between Maldini and Leonardo; additionally, Guardiola's desire to experience coaching a national team at some point in his career gives Italy an extra boost in this matter.

The newspaper concluded its report by noting that Carlo Ancelotti and Andrea Pirlo could be among the alternative options if the Italian Federation decides to move on from Conte, Mancini, or Guardiola.