Serie A Daily Report - 2026-09-28: Parma part company with Cuesta and line up Gilardino

Parma decided to part company with Carlos Cuesta on Monday and lined up Alberto Gilardino as his successor, according to Sky. The change came roughly a week after the latest Serie A round, despite Cuesta overseeing a first win after three defeats and one draw. That victory came against Genoa and had appeared to ease pressure on the Spaniard, who was appointed despite having no previous head-coaching experience. Parma avoided relegation with five matches remaining last season, but the club subsequently concluded that the conditions were no longer right to continue with Cuesta in charge.

Gilardino is expected to be formally introduced soon as Parma’s new head coach. The former Italy striker returns to Emilia after coaching Genoa and Pisa, although his recent managerial record has been uneven: he led Genoa to 11th place in 2023-24 before lasting only 12 matches the following season, while Pisa dismissed him after 23 games. Parma’s decision represents an early reset rather than a reaction to one isolated result, with the club judging that a change was necessary after further internal discussions. His appointment will now be assessed against Parma’s need for greater consistency in Serie A.

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AC Milan’s board approved the club’s draft 2025-26 financial statements on Monday, recording €464.6 million in revenue and a net loss of about €24 million. The figures cover the financial year ending on 30 June 2026 and will be submitted to the shareholders’ meeting for approval. Revenue remained close to the record levels achieved in the previous two seasons, although it was affected by the absence of European competition. Milan said income was 1.7 per cent higher than in 2023-24 and six per cent below 2024-25, underlining the continuing scale of the club’s commercial and matchday operations.

Commercial revenue continued to grow, with sponsorship income exceeding €100m for the first time in Milan’s history. The club also recorded Serie A’s highest average attendance for a second consecutive season, welcoming more than 72,000 supporters per match. Those figures give Milan a strong income base, but the net loss shows that revenue growth has not yet translated into a positive bottom line. The board described its business model, brand development and investment programme as a platform for long-term competitiveness, while the accounts now move to the next stage of shareholder approval.

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Como centre-back Jacobo Ramón was reported on Monday to be uninterested in returning to Real Madrid for now, preferring regular first-team football in Italy. According to Diario AS via the report, Ramón left Madrid for Como for €2.5 million in summer 2025 and has since established himself as a regular starter in Serie A. Real Madrid considered him for the fourth centre-back position before the season, but the defender chose to remain at Como rather than move back to a squad where opportunities would have been less certain.

The report said Ramón’s decision was based on development and consistent competitive minutes, not on permanently closing the door to Madrid. The Spanish club retained 50 per cent of his rights when he moved to Como, leaving it with a significant interest in his future. Arsenal have also been linked with the defender after reportedly holding serious discussions during the last transfer window. For Como, retaining a young starter would support a project that has attracted attention from larger clubs, while Ramón’s immediate priority remains establishing himself through continued Serie A football.

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Juventus were reportedly monitoring Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic as a potential free-transfer target for summer 2027, according to Gazzetta dello Sport as cited in the report. The 32-year-old’s contract is due to expire at the end of the campaign, and renewal is considered unlikely. Kovacic has made only two starts in all competitions this season, in the Community Shield and League Cup, after City invested heavily in midfield. The report described him as the most tempting of three possible free-agent options being considered by the Turin club.

Kovacic’s appeal lies in his Champions League experience, Serie A background and ability to provide technical control in midfield. The report said he remained at City after receiving assurances of a “meaningful role”, but that opportunity had not materialised following the arrivals of Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Enzo Fernandez. A move to Juventus would depend on the player’s situation changing and the club’s financial planning, but the prospect of a free transfer gives the Italian side a route to add experience without paying a fee.

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Bologna midfielder Lewis Ferguson said he remained committed to the Serie A club while acknowledging a longstanding affection for Rangers, according to reports on Monday. Ferguson’s family connections to the Glasgow club have fuelled speculation about a future move, with his father and uncle both having played there. His current Bologna contract runs until 2028 and includes an option for a further year, while reports said he had started every league match this season. The midfielder also began Scotland’s goalless Nations League draw in Slovenia on Saturday alongside Napoli’s Billy Gilmour.

Ferguson described Gilmour as a close friend and said the pair worked well together, but the immediate focus remains on his role in Bologna’s midfield. Rangers’ interest has been framed as a future possibility rather than an imminent transfer, with Ferguson’s commitment to his Italian club still clear. The situation illustrates how family history can sustain transfer links without changing a player’s short-term plans. Bologna therefore retain a key midfielder whose performances have made him increasingly prominent in both Serie A and the Scotland set-up.

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Udinese head of technical operations Gökhan Inler said on Monday that the club still needed to improve after the opening part of the Serie A season. Speaking to Flashscore at the launch of Udinese’s new third kit, Inler reflected on a campaign in which the team had remained competitive in matches but had not always maintained focus until the final whistle. He pointed specifically to the recent draw with Cagliari and said the players and directors naturally wanted to win every game. His assessment was that the squad had more to give despite encouraging elements in its performances.

Inler also expressed satisfaction with the transfer window, saying the new arrivals were interesting players who had settled in well. The priority now is continued progress rather than a dramatic change in direction, with Udinese preparing for the league’s restart after the international break. His comments suggest the club sees a workable foundation in the squad but believes details and concentration must improve. That places importance on turning competitive displays into results, particularly in matches where Udinese have already been close to taking more from the game.

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