Manchester City assistant Manel Estiarte has confirmed that coaching in Italy is part of Pep Guardiola's future plans.
Estiarte has been at the heart of Guardiola's career as a coach and remains a key figure of the backroom staff at the Etihad, having moved with Guardiola from Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
There have been reports of strong Juventus interest in Guardiola for more than a year, with fervent speculation that the coach would join last summer and more rumours resurfacing following the Champions League ban handed out to the Blues in February 2019.
Estiarte explained that Serie A does appeal, but did not put a timeframe on any decision.
“A future in Italy? I can say that Pep loves Italy and has maintained friendships and affections,” Calciomercato reported him as saying.
“And Serie A is recovering from less splendid moments it has experienced in recent times.
“The starting idea, when Guardiola started, was to train in the four big leagues: Spain, Germany, England and Italy. I'm not saying that will happen, but why not? It’s in his plans.”
If those comments are unlikely to diminish the optimism that Juventus could land Guardiola, the manager has reaffirmed his commitment to City on a number of occasions including after the Champions League ban.
The coach will make the club his longest stay if he sees out a contract at the Etihad until the end of the 2020/21 season as he is expected to do - and the Catalan has not ruled out signing another new contract.
