Andrea Pirlo is set to become Italy's next national team coach, according to a report from Italian daily La Repubblica. The newspaper said the Italian Football Federation, known as FIGC, has reached an agreement with the former midfielder on a four-year deal.
The report links Pirlo's expected appointment to Italy's unsuccessful pursuit of Pep Guardiola. After that reported rejection, attention appears to have shifted to a homegrown figure with deep ties to Italian football.
Pirlo is widely seen as one of the standout midfielders of his era, and his name carries major weight with supporters of the national team. If the deal is finalized as reported, Italy would be handing the job to one of its most recognizable former players at an important moment for the side.
Neither the brief report details nor the trimmed source text indicate broader official confirmation beyond the newspaper's account. Still, the story has quickly put Andrea Pirlo and the Italy coach role at the center of football discussion in Milan and beyond.
