Carlos Cuesta confirmed as Parma head coach

Carlos Cuesta has been confirmed as the new manager of Parma, ending his five-year spell at Arsenal and becoming the youngest head coach in Serie A since 1929.

The 29-year-old Spaniard has signed a two-year contract with the Italian club, with an option for a third. It is his first senior managerial role and marks the latest step in a career that began in the youth academies of Atlético Madrid and later Juventus, where he coached the under-17s.

His departure from Mikel Arteta‘s staff had been anticipated following Cristian Chivu‘s move to Inter Milan, but confirmation from Parma makes it official: Cuesta will lead the side into the new season, starting with a fixture against Juventus, the club where he once honed his craft.

In an emotional farewell posted to Instagram, Cuesta said: “After five beautiful years it’s hard to put this into words, but I can only express how grateful I am for having lived my day-to-day with such special people and feel what it means to represent this football club, with its incredible history and values.

“The only thing I’ve ever tried to do was give everything I had inside of me every single day. I was inspired by the culture that was created, by the hunger of every person of the organisation and by the unity that we had in any situation that we had to face.

“It has been a privilege to have had the chance to work with the players, staff, directors and all the employees of the club and at the same time, to receive an extra push from our amazing fans in every match.

“Because of the quality of its people, I’m convinced that the best moments for this football club are still yet to come. Enjoy the journey, because it is a very exciting one. Thank you Arsenal.”

Cuesta’s appointment is understood to have been strongly backed by Parma president Kyle Krause, who has long favoured the recruitment of tactically progressive coaches with a track record of player development. Sources close to the negotiation say Federico Cherubini, Parma’s chief executive, and sporting director Alessandro Pettina were impressed by Cuesta’s vision for the squad and approach to possession football, which echoes the model developed under Arteta in North London.

Regarded as one of the most promising young coaches in Europe, Cuesta is fluent in six languages and has built a reputation inside Arsenal for his tactical insight, attention to detail, and the clarity of his communication.

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