MILAN (AP) 鈥� The Italian soccer federation (FIGC) has talked to former Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola and Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti about taking over the .
It hopes to announce the new Italy coach within the week, with the Azzurri still reeling after to qualify for the World Cup.
Former Italy and AC Milan defender Paolo Maldini was named as the federation鈥檚 new technical director at the start of the month and was present at a meeting with the Serie A clubs on Thursday, along with and special advisor Leonardo.
鈥淗onestly, today we can鈥檛 give news about what鈥檚 happening. You鈥檝e identified one of our targets,鈥� Maldini said when asked about Guardiola in a news conference after the meeting.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 hide that we also talked with Carlo Ancelotti before talking with Pep. Honestly, it seemed right to start with the best in the world, to see their general availability.鈥�
at the end of last season, bringing to a close a in which he established City as a force in Europe and changed the face of English soccer.
The 55-year-old Guardiola has won 35 major titles across his coaching career including at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Maldini and Leonardo spent three days in Barcelona recently to speak with Guardiola about taking the Italy job.
鈥淭he best thing would be to announce the new coach this week, but even more to wait for the person we really want,鈥� Maldini said. 鈥淪o there鈥檚 urgency, but not so much inside us.鈥�
Ancelotti signed a contract extension with Brazil in May through to the 2030 World Cup. But the five-time world champion just had one of its worst ever performances on soccer鈥檚 biggest stage as it was eliminated in the round of 16 after a 2-1 loss to Norway.
The 67-year-old Ancelotti has won league titles in Italy, England, France, Spain and Germany. He is also the only coach to have won the Champions League five times.
Four-time champion Italy missed out on a third straight World Cup after a playoff loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in March, prompting the resignations of and coach .
Gattuso had taken over from the fired Luciano Spalletti only the previous June with the squad already flailing following a defeat at Norway in its opening qualifier.
Former Italy coaches Roberto Mancini 鈥� who led the Azzurri to the European Championship in 2021 鈥� and are also among the favorites to take charge of the national team. Andrea Pirlo, who helped Italy to the World Cup in 2006 as a player, is also reportedly in contention.
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