BARCELONA
Barcelona boss Xavi Hernández hoping to move USMNT star Sergiño Dest on this summer
Barça are keen on Real Valladolid starlet Iván Fresneda but will have to move on the American full-back to get him.
Sergiño Dest’s time at Barcelona looks to be very much up. The LaLiga champions are keen to strengthen at right-back this summer, even if other positions are more of a priority. Central defenders Ronald Araújo and Jules Koundé are capable of shuffling out wide if need be, while Sergi Roberto can also fill in there but perhaps wouldn’t be Xavi Hernández’s preferred choice against opposition of the very highest calibre.
Fresneda in, Dest out?
Incoming sporting director Deco has already started to exert his influence, with Catalan newspaper Sport reporting that La Blaugrana are chasing the signature of Real Valladolid’s 18-year-old Iván Fresneda, which AS has been able to verify. The teenager, who has come through the Pucela academy, is considered one of the hottest prospects in Spanish soccer and has caught the attention of a number of clubs from around Europe in recent months.
When does Dest’s Barcelona contract run until?
There was even some talk that Fresneda could make the move to Camp Nou in January but the defender ultimately finished the season with Valladolid, suffering relegation from LaLiga in the process. That could speed up a transfer away, with Barcelona amongst those interested...but only if they are able to ship USMNT full-back Dest out. The 22-year-old American spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Milan, where he failed to impress. Dest’s contract in Catalonia runs until 2025 but he isn’t thought to be part of Xavi’s plans. With Barça’s well-documented financial struggles still a significant obstacle, Fresneda coming in very much depends on Dest going out.
Widespread interest in Fresneda
They won’t be lacking in competition, however. Borussia Dortmund registered their interest in the young Spaniard in January and are still hopeful of taking him to Germany this summer. Italian giants Juventus and Milan have been monitoring his progress. Fresneda has a €20 million (circa $21.5 million) release clause and Valladolid appear to have accepted that their top young talent will be on his way sooner rather than later, with then head coach Pacheta revealing that he was almost sold in the January transfer window. Valladolid will be looking to set a new record for a player sale, which currently stands at €13 million ($14 million) for Mohammed Salisu from Southampton, recently relegated from the Premier League.
Dest flatters to deceive in Barcelona
Capped 25 times by the USMNT, Dest made an initial €21 million ($22.6 million) move to Barcelona from Ajax in October 2020, becoming the first American to ever play for the Catalans. But despite making more than 70 appearances in all competitions across two seasons, his days at Camp Nou seemed to be numbered from the moment he was loaned out to Milan, where he has started just four matches all season.