Gianluigi Donnarumma breaks silence on Pep Guardiola talks for Italy managerial position | OneFootball

Gianluigi Donnarumma has addressed speculation over talks with former Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola over taking the Italy managerial job.

For the foreseeable future, Italy will only take part in friendlies having failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer – after losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in March. 

It marks a drab run of form in the competition, where the 2006 winners have failed to qualify for a third straight time, having missed both Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.

Gennaro Gattuso stepped down as manager after they failed to qualify for this summer’s tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada – and despite the Italian federation wanting to return to the days of their dominance in the early 1980s, finding a replacement has become a tough task.

Massimiliano Allegri, who has won several titles with Milan and Juventus, was in the frame but the 58-year-old was quick to distance himself in early April. 

And despite only just leaving City following a successful decade at the club, there have been calls for Guardiola to save Italy and become their next manager. Donnarumma, however, admitted that he hasn’t mentioned anything to his former boss.

“I had a good experience with Guardiola; he made history at Manchester City, and I had hoped he would continue,” Donnarumma told Calciomercato, with comments translated and relayed by Sport Witness. 

“However, his wish was to step down. I haven’t spoken with him about the possibility of coaching the national team. Those decisions are not up to me but to the new president.”

The new president of the Italian Football Federation is yet to be decided but following the departure of Gabriele Gravina – who was in charge for eight years prior – welcomes a fresh start for the Italian National Team.

Guardiola, although he has only just left City, has openly admitted in the past that he would like to manage a national team one day.

In the past week, it was revealed that he would love a shot at the England job but, depending on how the nation performs this summer, Thomas Tuchel could be kept in post despite his contract ending at the conclusion of the tournament. 

Leonardo Bonucci, who made 121 appearances for Italy, remarked in April that Guardiola is the right man for the Italy job before the Catalan announced he would leave City.

Following the final day of the 2025-26 Premier League season, Guardiola was given a wholesome send-off alongside Bernardo Silva and John Stones, who left the club at the expiration of their contracts.