New Italy head coach Giampiero Ventura determined to build for 2018 World Cup

Italy coach Giampiero Ventura says he is keen to introduce youth into an ageing Italy squad as he builds a squad for the next World Cup in 2018.

Ventura, who was named the new manager of the Azzurri following the departure of Antonio Conte, is eager to provide more opportunities for younger players.

First-choice defenders Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, and Andrea Barzagli are all aged between 29 and 35, while veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, 38, said that he plans to retire after the World Cup in Russia in two years' time.

"I want to find two or three opportunities to let players aged between 21-23 play in order to have a group of players ready to join the squad in two years," Ventura said as he prepares to announce his squad for the international friendly against Euro 2016 finalists France in Bari on September 1 before their opening World Cup 2018 qualifying match away to Israel four days later.

The 68-year-old added that he will pick some players from the under-21 squad for the match in Haifa.

The former Torino coach said that he was starting from a strong position thanks to the work of Conte who took Italy to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 in France.

"We start from a privileged position, while (Antonio Conte) had to build most of the organisation. Now I can dedicate 80 percent of my attention to details and 20 percent to organisation."

Ventura had made a habit of following in Conte's footsteps, having replaced him as coach of Bari in 2009.

"When Conte left Bari, it was my good fortune, when Conte left the national team, it was my good fortune again," he said.

"When Conte leaves Chelsea, I already know my destination," he joked.

Spain, Albania, Macedonia and Liechtenstein are Italy's other rivals in Group G.