Why Cuesta left Parma and what is emerging on his replacement: advanced talks with Gilardino

He is the third manager to leave Serie A this season after Grosso in Florence and Tedesco in Bologna

Parma and Carlos Cuesta have gone their separate ways after ending the season with a win. The farewell came a week after victory against Genoa in the final round of the league campaign. At the end of that match, the talk was of a De Rossi under pressure, with full confidence now filtering through from the rossoblù club, but it was the Spanish manager who surprisingly left Parma. This was not a sacking. The two parties agreed to a mutual termination of the contract and Cuesta is now free to sign for a new club.

Cuesta-Parma, what lies behind the farewell

Differences between the club and the manager led to the split, above all over decisions made in the summer transfer window: Parma were among the busiest clubs for departures, with the sales of Pellegrino, Suzuki and Circati, as well as the failed return of Strefezza, one of the players requested by the manager. Cuesta leaves Parma after one win, one draw and three defeats in the first five league matches. Their Coppa Italia campaign also ended in the second round against Cremonese.

Talks with Gilardino

Once last season ended and Parma had secured survival, Cuesta received a number of offers from abroad, from Spain, France and Germany. But in a meeting with the club at the start of June, he made it clear he wanted to stay with the Gialloblu. The plan, then, was to carry on together and continue the project, but the relationship ended because of differing views over the transfer market. The favourite to take his place is Alberto Gilardino, with whom there have already been contacts and discussions are under way over the composition of the backroom staff.