“The right man for the job is Pep Guardiola” – Manchester City manager targeted for national team role

Why Pep Guardiola is the revolutionary Italy Needs

Leonardo Bonucci – who worked as an assistant to Gattuso and is now a technical coach in the Italian national team set-up – told ESPN, “If we want a radical change in the national team, I’d say the right man for the job is Pep Guardiola. It’s very difficult but dreaming costs nothing.”

The Catalan’s contract at the Etihad Stadium currently expires in June 2027, but there has been increasing speculation around a possible exit 12 months sooner, departing Manchester City at the end of the ongoing season.

An Italian to replace Guardiola at Man City?

Manchester City are believed to have already scouted the market for a potential successor, with Enzo Maresca strongly linked to the job, while Guardiola has often expressed his desire to coach a national team before he retires entirely.

Pep Guardiola’s coaching career is next to none, and after dominating leagues across Europe with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now Manchester City, the 55-year-old has won 40 major trophies including three UEFA Champions League titles.

It has been a torrid time for Italy given the country’s football federation president Gabriele Gravina resigned following the failure to qualify and Gianluigi Buffon also stepped down.

Who are the frontrunners to take on the Italy job?

Napoli and former Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte, alongside Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri, are the current frontrunners for the vacant role, while a new president of the FIGC will be elected on June 22.

Italy are in need of a major shake-up according to Leonardo Bonucci, who was a key player when the nation won the UEFA European Championships against England at Wembley Stadium in 2021.

“We need to have the courage to face up to what’s happening so that we can regain the respect of the whole world and become that great national team that was world champion,” Bonucci said.