You’d expect a man who speaks several languages to find the right words for an emotional goodbye, and Carlos Cuesta hasn’t disappointed.
Following reports that the 29-year-old is set to take over as head coach of Serie A side Parma, the Spaniard has taken to social media to thank his Arsenal colleagues and supporters for what he called a memorable five years in N5.
Cuesta made a strong impression on Mikel Arteta when their paths briefly crossed at Manchester City, and was recruited to Arsenal in 2020 alongside close friend Miguel Molina. Since then, he’s grown into a vital member of the first-team coaching staff with a reputation that was bound to lead to tempting opportunities elsewhere.
On Instagram, 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 second post dedicated to mentor Arteta, he added: “And then, to the person that made it happen. Thank you. That’s the only thing I can say.
“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.”
We’ll certainly be keeping close tabs on Cuesta’s progress. Parma finished 16th last season, five points above the relegation zone, so he’s got his work cut out. We wish him the best of luck. Who knows, perhaps we’ll see him back at the Emirates one day.