"They will look for new solution" - Fabrizio Romano backs Barcelona to offload 22-year-old this summer
Barcelona have been backed to offload Sergino Dest this summer, who is currently on loan at AC Milan.
Despite a dearth of options in the right-back area, Xavi Hernandez's side sanctioned a season-long loan for Dest last summer. It highlighted the lack of trust that the Spanish tactician has in the USA international.
Dest joined Barca from Ajax in October 2020 and has since featured 72 times across competitions for the club. However, he did not play a single minute for the Catalan giants this season until his loan move to AC Milan was finalized on deadline day.
Xavi has used Jules Kounde, Sergi Roberto, Ronald Araujo and Alejandro Balde in that position during this campaign. A new right-back will be on Barcelona's agenda for the summer transfer window, but according to Romano, their decision will hinge on Financial Fair Play regulations.
Barca's financial struggles are well-documented. In his CaughtOffside column, Romano wrote:
"For Sergino Dest they will look for new solution, I don’t see him staying but we will see in the summer. The market for Barca depends on Financial Fair Play; for example I said three weeks ago that they met with the agent of Jeremie Frimpong but now the priorities are different, the right-back is something that will be decided later in the window."
The Italian journalist recently shot down claims linking Chelsea's Reece James with the Blaugrana. Romano has also claimed that the Catalan giants held talks with Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong.
The Dutch right-back will enter the final two years of his contract in June and has also been linked with Real Madrid. Dest (22), meanwhile, seems to have caught the attention of Atletico Madrid.
Xavi proud of defensive record as Barcelona near La Liga record
Barcelona have conceded a paltry tally of nine goals in 30 La Liga games this season. Their defense garnered another clean sheet in their 1-0 La Liga win against Atletico Madrid yesterday (April 23).
The record for the fewest goals conceded in a 38-game La Liga season is 18 and is held by Deportiva La Coruna (1993-94) and Atletico Madrid (2015-16). Barcelona will be the outright holders of the record if they concede eight or fewer goals in their remaining eight league games.
Speaking after his team's narrow win at home against Los Colchoneros, a satisfied Xavi said, via BarcaUniversal:
"It’s not normal to concede nine goals in 30 games, but I’m very happy with the way the team works, that they work hard until the last second, it’s something that gives us a lot now and in the future."
Barca's next assignment is an away league game against Rayo Vallecano on April 26.