Parma in direct contact with Gilardino to replace former Arsenal coach Cuesta
PISA, ITALY - OCTOBER 30: Alberto Gilardino manager of Pisa Sporting Club looks on during the Serie A match between Pisa SC and SS Lazio at Arena Garibaldi on October 30, 2025 in Pisa, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Parma have moved quickly to identify Carlos Cuesta’s successor, with Alberto Gilardino the leading name on a short list.
According to Alfredo Pedullà, direct contact has already been made. The obstacle is Gilardino’s existing contract at Pisa, which he would need to terminate before any move could proceed, but the Ducali regard him as a realistic option rather than a speculative one.
Gilardino was a candidate for Parma last time too
This is not the first time Parma have considered him. Gilardino was among those in the frame when Cristian Chivu left for Inter, the vacancy that eventually went to Cuesta.
That appointment always carried a degree of risk. Cuesta arrived with no senior head coach experience, having spent four years on Mikel Arteta’s staff at Arsenal, and was 29 when Parma hired him. The club’s statement on Sunday framed the split as a disagreement over the direction of the sporting project rather than results, and reports in Italy suggest the friction dated back to the start of the season.
Gilardino would represent the opposite profile: a coach who kept Genoa in Serie A across two full campaigns before his dismissal, and who knows the division well.
Parma’s technical staff will oversee training on Monday while the club works on an appointment.
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