Paolo Maldini and Leonardo have confirmed sensational talks with both Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti for the vacant Italy manager position.
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Subscribe Sekarang →The new technical leadership held a joint press conference following meetings with Lega Serie A leaders. Italian football officials want an elite coach to drive a complete overhaul of the national setup.
"The ideal would be to have the coach by the end of this week, but perhaps even more ideal would be to wait for the person we really want," Maldini said. "There is a certain hurry, but not a hasty one."
Maldini confirmed preliminary discussions took place before targeting Guardiola. "We cannot deny that we also spoke to Carlo Ancelotti before talking to Pep, and it felt only right to start with those we considered to be the best in the world," Maldini added.
Ancelotti recently extended his contract with Brazil, making any departure difficult. Meanwhile, negotiations and exploratory meetings with Guardiola took place in Barcelona.
Leonardo outlined plans to modernize Italian football from youth academies to the senior national team. According to Leonardo, structural reform remains essential for long-term international success.