Former England and Chelsea defender Ashley Cole has been appointed head coach of Serie B club Cesena.
Cole, widely regarded as one of the best left-backs of his generation, has taken his first senior managerial role after moving into coaching in 2019.
He started his coaching career with Chelsea’s academy after his retirement from playing, and had spells with Everton, Birmingham City and England U21.
Cesena are eighth, which is among the playoff places, in Italy’s second tier. The club confirmed in a statement that Cole had signed a contract through June 30, 2026 with an option for extension.
“The entire Cesena FC family is thrilled to welcome manager Ashley Cole to lead the Bianconeri first team and extends a warm welcome to him and his staff in Cesena, wishing them all the best of luck in this new adventure,” the club said.
As a player, he won three Premier League titles across spells with Arsenal and Chelsea, as well as a Champions League and earning 107 England caps.
The 44-year-old returns to Italy, after making a handful of appearances for Roma as a player between 2014 and 2016.
