Maldini is refusing to close the door on alternatives as the search drags on following a third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup.
Speaking at a press conference in Milan alongside FIGC president Giovanni Malago and special advisor Leonardo, Maldini - now the federation's technical director - declined to confirm any breakthrough with Guardiola specifically.
"We can't give any news, you've identified one of the targets, but we've also spoken with Ancelotti," he said.
According to reporting in Gazzetta dello Sport, Guardiola is seeking as much as €20million a year for the role - roughly double what the FIGC has offered - with his desire to spend more time with his family in Barcelona also complicating negotiations.
Maldini explained the federation's approach had been to aim high from the outset.
"It seemed right to start with the best in the world, but we need to verify their overall availability," he said, declining to set a firm deadline for the appointment despite acknowledging the federation's wish to move quickly.
"Ideally we would name the coach this very week, but it's even more important to wait for the person we really want. There's urgency, but not that much, deep down."
He also spoke about the scale of the challenge facing whoever takes the job.
"I feel a great sense of responsibility and pressure, there's an ambitious project here. It's a call to arms - when Italy calls, it's hard to say no. I didn't know about the initial difficulties, but I felt the possibility of doing things and everyone's willingness to take part in the renewal."
Italy's interest in Guardiola has been evident since his departure from Manchester City was confirmed, with the Catalan's connection to Italian football dating back to the end of his playing career at Brescia, where a positive test for nandrolone in 2001 led to a doping case before he was fully cleared and declared innocent by Italy's Olympic Committee, CONI, in 2009.
Ancelotti, meanwhile, remains contracted to Brazil until 2030, though a growing number of voices in the country are calling for his removal following their World Cup exit.
Other names reportedly under consideration by the FIGC include Antonio Conte, Andrea Pirlo and a possible return for Roberto Mancini, though Guardiola remains the clear priority - with Maldini's public acknowledgement of contact with Ancelotti also seen as a way of applying pressure on the Italian to consider taking charge of his own national team.