Arteta assistant to become Serie A youngest ever manager | OneFootball

Cuesta set to depart Arsenal for Serie A role with Parma after Chivu exit

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Carlos Cuesta is set to leave Arsenal and take over as manager of Parma, with final details of a contract expected to be agreed this morning. The 29-year-old Spaniard, a long-serving member of Mikel Arteta’s coaching staff, will succeed Cristian Chivu, having agreed terms on a two-year deal reportedly worth just under £850,000 per season.

Cuesta, who turns 30 next month, is regarded as one of the brightest young minds in coaching and has been with Arsenal since 2020. Fluent in six languages, he previously worked with Atlético Madrid and spent time in Italy with Juventus’s Under-17s, though this will be his first senior managerial role.

Sources in Italy say the decision to appoint Cuesta was driven by Parma president Kyle Krause, who has a preference for young, progressive coaches. His first appointment following the acquisition of the club was Enzo Maresca, then assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Cuesta’s lack of first-team experience mirrors Maresca’s profile at the time, though the now Chelsea manager lasted just four months before being sacked despite signing a three-year deal.

Despite the risks involved, Cuesta’s selection is understood to have come after detailed interviews and glowing endorsements from Parma’s chief executive Federico Cherubini and sporting director Alessandro Pettina. The club hopes Cuesta can emulate the tactical blueprint established under Arteta, with a possession-based style built around young talent.

If confirmed, Cuesta will become the youngest manager in Serie A since it adopted a single group format in 1929.