Dutch Men’s National Team manager Ronald Koeman believes Sergino Dest can have a future with the Netherlands.
In a press conference Monday, Koeman spoke about the 18-year-old Dest and the choice he eventually has to make regarding his National Team future. The Dutch-American defender has risen through the ranks with Eredivisie club Ajax this season and has also appeared twice for the U.S. Men’s National Team.
The Netherlands has also been linked with Dest’s services, despite the fullback yet to appear for their youth or senior team. Dest turned down a USMNT call-up for October matches against Cuba and Canada in the Concacaf Nations League to give more thought to his decision.
“What happened is that we talked with him [Sergino] and what kind of future we see for him at the National Team,” Koeman said. “He’s a candidate for the right back position. I never promise anything to anybody, but I did tell him he could have a future at the National Team.”
“Apparently he needs time to make a decision. The fact is that he also declined an invitation of the USA. So that shows that he really needs to think about this decision. He hasn’t said no to us or yes to the USA yet.”
Dest is a highly-touted prospect for both countries after rising through the ranks at both club and international level. Just months after playing a key role for the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team at the 2019 FIFA Under-20 World Cup, Dest earned his first two USMNT appearances with Gregg Berhalter’s senior squad in September, starting in friendlies against Mexico and Uruguay.
Just like on the international stage, Dest has taken advantage of opportunities with Ajax. After 16 league appearances for Jong Ajax last season, Dest has totaled 13 appearances in all competitions with the defending Eredivisie champs and UEFA Champions League semifinalists.
He lifted the Dutch Super Cup earlier this season over rivals PSV and has appeared in both of Ajax’s Champions League group stage wins over Lille and Valencia.
Currently eight spots higher than the USMNT in the latest FIFA rankings, the Netherlands are fighting for qualification into 2020 European Tournament. After missing out the last two major international competitions, the Dutch are currently third in Group C with nine points from four matches.
PSV’s Denzel Dumfries and Ajax’s Joel Veltman have recently battled for the starting right back spot under Koeman, but should Dest switch his allegiance to the Dutch then he could be tossed into that battle as well.
Dest will return to league play with Ajax following this international break on Oct. 19th against RKC Waalwijk.
He should talk to guys like Neven Subotic and Guiseppi Rossi and see if they liked their decisions. The kid has some options. He is 18 and just starting for a huge team. Give him some air.
Subtoic switching was Thomas Rongen fault. He kept picking on Subotic so he got fed up and switched to Serbia.
@Mysterious – Have you watched many of his games? I have watched him play 6 or 7 times in the last 2 months. His ball skills and ability to read the game are exceptional. His passing vision is quite good as well. He is far from a finished product. Playing defense in the Eredivisie is not that hard. But he is starting in Champions League games as well. Gloster is an up and coming player, I agree. But I don’t see them on the same level at this point.
I will say, that Koeman’s response give me hope. “He hasn’t said no to us or yes to the USA yet.”” I love that yet at the end. If he chooses them, I would certainly understand, but I could see his attachments to his friends from past tournaments being a drawing card as well. We shall see, hopefully in November.
Handful of times seen here. “Far from finished product” is an understatement for his D. Really not a ton to do there for Ajax and it still is a struggle at times.
He is young and I doubt Ajax is desperate for players.
Yes I watched him in the u 20s ikraine overwelmed him. He goes up a lot sndd barely.defemds for Ajax because their defense is loaded with good players making a brick wall where dest csn join the attack. If usa had a American player same level as De Loght and This to Silva he would be able to do the same for the nats. He also had that awful nutmeg agianst Mexico. Pulisic was st fault too for not taking the ball before it made it to Dest.Gloster had a better u 20 tournament.
I think it’s time to move on from Fest in my personal opinion Gloster looks better than him and had a better tournament.
Dest*