Carlos Cuesta thanks Mikel Arteta in emotional Arsenal goodbye message as young coach prepares to take over at Parma

The 29-year-old Spaniard, who served as one of Arteta’s closest coaching aides over the past five seasons, is now set to begin a new chapter in Italy, stepping into a senior managerial role for the first time. With his new job with Parma, Cuseta will become the youngest manager in Serie A history.

Cuseta's move to Parma comes after the Italian side parted ways with Cristian Chivu, who left to take the helm at Inter Milan. The coach is already believed to have landed in Italy and the formal announcement could be made shortly by the Serie A outfit.

Taking to Instagram, Cuesta shared an emotional message to the Arsenal community, expressing gratitude for the experiences and relationships he formed at the club.

He wrote: "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 ❤️."

In a separate post, Cuesta reserved special thanks for Arteta. The departing coach praised the Gunners manager for his unwavering belief in him and for setting an example of leadership and integrity.

"And then, to the person that made it happen. Thank you. That’s the only thing I can say," he wrote.

"Thank you for your trust, for giving me the opportunity to be next to you and for showing me with constant facts which is the meaning of the word 'courage'.

"But more than that, thank you for being an incredible coach, an incredible leader, and an even better human being. It has been a true privilege to learn from you, to feel your support in any circumstance and to share the ups and downs of the journey always seeing the positive side of it. You’ve taught me a lot, and I will carry it always with me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you ❤️."

Cuseta's rapid ascent through the coaching ranks, which began in youth setups at Atletico Madrid and Juventus, has now earned him a shot at leading a first team in one of Europe’s most demanding leagues. However, with pre-season preparations scheduled to begin in July, Arteta and the Arsenal hierarchy must now move swiftly to find a suitable successor.