Loan or €10m Transfer: Barcelona’s Plan for Sergino Dest’s Future

Sergino Dest is experiencing a difficult period in his football career, with the USMNT manager failing to convince Xavi that he’s the long-term answer at right-back for Barcelona. Now that the La Liga champions have returned from their US tour of the USA, they’ve set about trimming their squad which in turn will free up money for potential signings like Bernardo Silva. Ousmane Dembele will officially sign for PSG and Franck Kessie will do the same with Al-Ahli and reports indicate Clement Lenglet won’t be far behind. But what of Dest? The 22-year-old defender is the most likely player to follow that trio out the door and there has been talk recently that Barca would explore the option of terminating his contract if no suitors could be found for a transfer. His agent denied rumours earlier this summer that Portuguese outfit Porto was interested in his client’s services. A new report in The Athletic indicated that the Blaugrana are looking for €10 million for the USMNT player, but would also consider a loan if no permanent offers were to materialise. The report also confirmed that the contract termination talk is wide of the mark. Dest was given the chance to impress on the US tour Dest started the first game against Arsenal and came on as a substitute against Real Madrid and AC Milan. Unfortunately, he was one of the underperformers of the tour, struggling consistently against talented forwards Saka and Vini Jr. Before the tour, he confirmed that Xavi had agreed to give him a shot: “I don’t want to give too much information about what we discussed, but at the end of the day (Xavi) told me: ‘OK, I’ll give you a fair chance to prove yourself.’ So that’s what it is at the moment,” Dest said in last month’s group interview. “He told me: ‘I think you have qualities but it’s up to you, you have to show me.’ And I fully agree.“I feel that with what happened last season with me, I have to have a fast start. I’m here to prove myself.” It’s likely that all the tour did was consolidate the managers feeling that a new right-back was needed at Barca. Since the team returned to Spain, there have been countless rumours linking them with Manchester City player Joao Cancelo and Valladolid youngster Ivan Fresneda. Dest started well at Barca and became the first American to play for the team in La Liga, he was also the first American to appear in El Clasico. Unfortunately, he fell out of favour and was loaned to AC Milan last year, a lack of game time convinced them to turn down the purchase option in the loan deal. It’s very unlikely that Dest will remain with Barcelona, but there is no doubt he has talent and at 22 years old, he still has plenty of time. ChatGPT

Sergino Dest finds himself facing challenging times in his football career. Despite Xavi not considering him as Barcelona’s long-term answer at right-back, he’s determined to prove himself. With PSG signing Ousmane Dembele and Al-Ahli acquiring Franck Kessie, Dest’s future at Barcelona seems uncertain.

Recent reports indicate that Barcelona is open to offers for Dest, and they are seeking around €10 million for the player. However, they may also consider a loan option if no permanent offers arise. His agent refuted rumors about Porto’s interest in the player.

During the US tour, Dest had the opportunity to showcase his skills but struggled against talented forwards like Saka and Vini Jr. Xavi had previously agreed to give him a fair chance to prove himself, but it appears that the tour might have strengthened the manager’s belief that they need a new right-back.

Although Dest had a promising start at Barcelona, becoming the first American to play for the team in La Liga and appearing in El Clasico, he fell out of favor and was loaned to AC Milan. Despite the uncertainties, Dest’s talent is undeniable, and at 22 years old, he has plenty of time to shine