Maldini, who spent 17 days as the Italian federation's technical director before resigning in July, gave a detailed account of the approach to Guardiola in an interview with Corriere della Sera.
"We visited him in Barcelona, had lunch together and talked the whole day. He was very taken with it. He was close to saying yes. He had even started sketching out lineups on paper," Maldini said.
According to Maldini, it was not financial demands that ultimately put Guardiola off taking the job, but the toll of over a decade in English football.
"Guardiola has had ten gruelling years in the Premier League behind him. He had back surgery and wants to rest. But it was a very serious discussion. We analysed the squads, from Under-17 level upwards." Guardiola, who left Manchester City this summer, is understood to want to focus on his private life for now rather than jumping straight into international management.
Maldini and his advisor Leonardo had also approached Carlo Ancelotti before turning to Guardiola, but the Brazil head coach likewise turned down the opportunity to take charge for the next four-year cycle, choosing to remain with the Seleção.
With both of his preferred candidates unavailable, Maldini's choice fell on Andrea Pirlo, his former Milan teammate, who was reportedly close to signing a four-year contract worth around €1.5m a season. But when FIGC president Giovanni Malagò rejected that proposal, amid controversy over Pirlo's past ties to a Russian betting company and the Fonbet sponsorship deal, Maldini and Leonardo both resigned from their posts, just over two weeks after being appointed.
Maldini insisted there had been nothing to legally prevent Pirlo's appointment, describing the backlash as exaggerated.
Roberto Mancini has since been unveiled as Italy's new head coach, returning to the role three years after his previous, contentious departure from the national team, with the Azzurri now working to rebuild ahead of the next World Cup cycle following their failure to reach this summer's tournament in North America.