Parma Calcio has presented its new head coach: Carlos Cuesta succeeds Cristian Chivu at the age of just 29. Granit Xhaka was already full of praise for Mikel Arteta’s long-time assistant years ago.
Parma Calcio has now filled the most important personnel gap ahead of the coming season. The 16th-placed team in the last Serie A season presented Carlos Cuesta as the successor to Cristian Chivu, who has moved to Inter Milan. The Mallorca-born coach has signed a contract in Emilia-Romagna until 2027 with an option for a further season.
The name is probably not yet familiar to many football fans in Europe. The 29-year-old started his career in the youth teams of Atletico Madrid and Juventus Turin before Mikel Arteta brought him to Arsenal in the summer of 2020.
Cuesta did valuable work as assistant coach at the reigning English runners-up and was also highly regarded by the professionals. Granit Xhaka, who played for the Gunners from 2016 to 2023 before moving to Leverkusen, said last year in The Athletic: “I’m sure he’ll be the coach of a big, big, big club one day. I say that because he knows what he wants, he has clear ideas and he has clear goals he wants to achieve. I’m sure we’ll see him as a coach one day.”
Arteta quite surprised
That day has now come. Parma will provide a platform to recommend himself for even bigger tasks. According to English media reports, Cuestas’ departure comes as a surprise to Arteta. Last season, Cuesta signed a new contract until 2027, which requires a transfer fee from Parma.
Of the core members of Arteta’s coaching team around Cuesta, Albert Stuivenberg, Nico Jover, and Inaki Cana, who have been working closely together since 2021, the Spaniard is the first to leave the club voluntarily.
