Former Arsenal coach Carlos Cuesta becomes youngest manager in top-five leagues – The full list revealed

10 managers under 40 

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Arsenal have been fairly quiet so far in this summer’s transfer window with no major incomings or outgoings confirmed at this moment in time. However, this Wednesday they have lost a key member of their backroom staff, who will now set a record in Europe’s top-five leagues. Gunners assistant manager Carlos Cuesta has agreed to become the new manager of Serie A outfit Parma, and in doing so becomes the youngest manager in the top-five leagues at just 29 years of age. The Spaniard joined Mikel Arteta’s coaching staff back in August 2020, having previously held roles in the youth set-ups at both Atlético Madrid and Juventus.

Cuesta is regarded as one of the best young coaches in the game and has been integral to Arsenal’s progress under his compatriot Arteta. He started his coaching at Atlético at just 14 years of age. Cuesta was heavily linked with Norwich last season and is understood to have attracted widespread interest from other clubs in the Championship and beyond. He now joins the side that finished 16th in Serie A last term, and will be tasked with returning the historic club of Parma back into the top half of the Italian top-flight. Cuesta turns 30 at the end of July, but for now is the only manager in the top-five leagues in his 20s. But which other bosses make the top 10 youngest managers list?

The top 10 youngest managers in Europe’s top-five leagues

Cuesta is leading the way, and by some distance. His age of 29 is currently three years younger than any other manager set to be in the dugout for a top-five league club for the 2025/26 season. In second place is Brighton’s Fabian Hürzeler – the German is 32 years old and the only Premier League boss included in the top 10. In third position is HSV’s 34-year-old manager Merlin Polzin, who got the Hamburg-based outfit promoted to the Bundesliga last season. In fourth is Celta Vigo boss Claudio Giráldez, who is 37 years of age. He is followed in fifth by Rayo Vallecano’s 37-year-old manager Iñigo Pérez. 

In sixth position is Augsburg manager Sandro Wagner, who is 37 and will take over as the club’s new boss for the 2025/26 campaign. Seventh goes to Como FC’s manager Cesc Fàbregas – the Spaniard has already made a solid impression guiding the promoted side to a 10th place finish in Seria A last season. In eighth is Le Havre’s 38-year-old manager Didier Digard. Bayern Munich’s Vincent Kompany takes ninth place at 39 years of age, whilst Cagliari manager Fabio Pisacane completes the top 10 – also 39 years old.