Sergino Dest reportedly looks to have played his final match for Eredivisie side Ajax.
Multiple reports on Saturday have stated that Dest will join La Liga side Barcelona, with the defender arriving in Spain on Monday. Barcelona and Ajax have agreed to a transfer fee for Dest, and the defender reportedly said his goodbyes to Ajax teammates following Saturday’s match.
Dest had been linked with both Barcelona and Bayern Munich for most of the year. He had agreed to terms with both clubs, but is now choosing Barcelona over Bayern for his future, according to reports.
The 19-year-old right back has come off the bench for Ajax in the club’s opening three league matches this season, all victories. Dest excelled for Ajax in his first senior year last season, being named the club’s Young Player of the Year and also making his debuts in several different competitions.
Dest’s move to Barcelona would see him join former U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team teammate Konrad de la Fuente, who has trained with Ronald Koeman’s squad this preseason.
Following Nelson Semedo’s move to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Dest will fight with Sergi Roberto for the starting right back role this season. Barcelona missed out on La Liga and UEFA Champions League titles last season, but will be expected to put in a better run this time around.
The Catalan club opens its domestic schedule on Sunday against Villarreal before traveling to Celta Vigo on Oct. 1st.
Koeman is perfect mentor for Dest, especially moving greatest names in soccer. I would like Dest loan to Atletico or Sevilla because might get enough games.
Congrats Sergino!!!!!!!!
Koeman plays a part but the talent is there. Remember when we were arguing about that no name MLS RB what’s his mmname who even cares af this point we stuck 7777 with seat. Thank you Dest for choosing g USA.
Pulisic, Dest, McKenie, Adams, Steffen(hopeful), Reyna(hopeful), Weah(hopeful). What core to build on. An experienced manager can make a real difference with the talent in our pool at present. Giving this core a manager who’s won nothing and was a nepotism hire is a disgrace to the talent and professionals in our pool. It’s time for USA Soccer to to hire a solid tactical manager not the MLS flavor of the month of someone’s brother who ran the organization.
We have our golden generation fellas. Let’s go. We can’t let MLS f this up by letting Beerholder manage these high level pros.
Imagine it’s halftime. Locker room discussing tactics. Half the squad plays Champions League and the Beerholder starts talking about tactical adjustments that’s he knows from his mls experience? What high level soccer experience as a manager can he bring to the table? Has he won at a high or even low level?
Then there’s the sub desicions? Oh boy do we have to relive that again in qualifying.
This manager is getting gifted a dream pool to work with. Our golden generation. He isn’t f—omg worthy of managing our golden generation in my opinion.
We may get one chance in a lifetime(Netherlands I feel your pain) we can F this gift of a golden generation up with an unproven manager.
If we had everyone health and Jesse Marcsh as coach, we would be a force to be reckoned with, like the USA 2009 team that beat Spain and was dominating Brasil in the finals till the end.
Id back Marsch proven himself at RB and in CL punched way above their weight last year in CL. Won’t happen though unless we throw stupid money at him. But I agree a top candidate. He did it right. Left mls cut his teeth as a manager in europe and is on the short list for a move to bigger clubs as manager. Also had a good run in NY and helped develop Adams was almost a package deal the both of them moving at the same time to Europe a few years back.
Speaking of this core as our golden generation and expanding on that. I want to say that every window we waste with Beerholder as manger lowers this generation’s ceiling/potential. The need to learn to play together in a tactical environment that’s equal to their professional accomplishments.
Allowing Beerholder to mange this golden generation choked full of CL experience at such early ages is like allowing a mediocre high school coach to coach in NBA. The players have to respect your accomplishments as a manager for them to trust your tactical advice. I don’t see Beerhdef get that and don’t think he deserves that respect either given his resume.
Its a great time to be a USMNT fan. Our pool talent has now dramatically outgrown and professionally drawfed the typical MLS managerial coaching experience. I think we have a rare occurrence that should attract an ambitious and highly experienced manger, that occurrence is a solid even see push core ofCL experienced players and… low expectations and pressure. It’s a low risk high reward for a big time manager. Manager takes the US deep in WC maybe semis he’s getting offers at top jobs no doubt. He doesn’t make it out of the group no harm done to his rep. We gotta play the cards were delt fellas.
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It’s our golden generation!!!!!! Let’s Goooooooo!!!!!!!
Yet Dalic who never played at a high level and managed clubs in Croatia, Albania, and Saudi Arabia guided Croatia to the WC finals.
misleading. dalic had a resume of success at those random stops. he didn’t just coach in a few places — like berhalter — he amassed some trophies. like, you know, proved he can coach. i then am not surprised he could build croatia back into something. fwiw USSF used to have a hiring rule where the applicants had to show they had accomplished things to survive the circular file, such as won a league. that to me puts objective “he’s a winner” teeth in what can otherwise be a subjective exercise of convincing yourself some coach is secretly underrated. we hired a middling MLS coach who gets middling concacaf results. hmmm. even Sarachan and Arena had some trophies to show they could coach their way to actual success. you know, proof of something. i want us back to objectivity and proof. hire a winner and keep swapping players until we look good and the selection produces.
Really Johnny?
Great opportunity. I’ll reserve judgment on whether this is a good move or not though, we’ll see. I hope it is! Barca is effed up place right now, and Dest needs to develop. Will that happen for him at Barca in their locker room bog? We’ll see, I hope.
One can’t help but be excited for this transfer. But also a bit concerned about him walking into a hornets nest of internal turmoil with the Messi saga and now Suarez’ exit. Hopefully this soap Opera doesn’t disrupt Dest’s ability to develop properly. But none the less. This is yet another young American going to a big club, can’t help but be excited for the future of the USMNT.
Barcelona is a mess right now but they’re not a big club. They are the giant club of the giant clubs.
Club 2018/19 revenue ($ million) 2018/19 ranking 2017/18 ranking
FC Barcelona 959.3 1 2
Real Madrid 864 2 1
Manchester United 811.7 3 3
Bayern Munich 753.1 4 4
Paris Saint-Germain 725.5 5 6
Manchester City 696.6 6 5
Liverpool 689.9 7 7
Tottenham Hotspur 594.5 8 10
Chelsea 585.3 9 8
Juventus 524.5 10 11
I imagine the fact that Koeman is the coach at Barcelona had a big part in his decision. Hopefully that will also help him see the field a lot since Koeman is so familiar with Dest’s ability.