Tag: Sergino Dest

Dest completes PSV move after all, leaving Barcelona on free transfer

Dest’s much-wanted move just required a little patience, as the USMNT defender joins PSV on a four-year deal

Sergiño Dest and PSV just learned about the values of patience.

The U.S. men’s national team fullback has joined the Dutch champions on a free transfer, with Barcelona letting the 23-year-old walk now rather than letting him leave as a free agent next year.

Barça will, however, receive an unspecified percentage of any transfer fee PSV might get for Dest — who signed a four-year deal on Saturday — down the road.

“To start with, PSV believes in me and I am greatly appreciated here,” said Dest in a club release announcing the deal. “I have come to know the club as incredibly warm, like I have never experienced anywhere else. These are important aspects for someone in my situation and give me confidence that I can rehabilitate well here.”

Dest tore his ACL in late April while on loan with PSV, with the injury initially appearing to complicate plans to sign him. The club was said to have a €10 million transfer clause in Dest’s loan contract, but — likely over the fact that he’d be out for the first half of this coming season — reportedly told Barcelona that the price was too high.

Nonetheless, PSV managed to complete a deal with Barça that will get the USMNT right back into a good club situation going forward.

“We had a good discussion about it internally, but Sergiño convinced us so much last season that we absolutely did not want to pass up the opportunity to take over from him permanently,” said PSV director of football Earnie Stewart. “He has so many qualities. The new situation does not change that.”

Dest played in 37 competitive matches for PSV, helping the club win its 25th Eredivisie title and advance to the Champions League knockout rounds for the first time in nine years.

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Berhalter outlines USMNT options for replacing Dest

Berhalter has a headache without his starting right back, but at least he’s got some options

Having Sergiño Dest out creates a big potential problem for U.S. men’s national team head coach Gregg Berhalter, but at least he’s got some options.

Dest suffered a torn ACL last month, ruling the USMNT’s starting right back out for the rest of 2024.

On Monday, Berhalter named a 27-player roster for pre-Copa América friendlies against Colombia and Brazil next month. The majority of the 26-man roster for the Copa América will be drawn from the squad Berhalter announced.

In a call with the media following the roster release, the USMNT coach examined some of the options he has at his disposal to replace Dest.

“With Sergiño going down, we have to figure out the right-back situation and there’s a couple of different options we can look at,” he said.

“We have like-for-like with Joe Scally and Shaq Moore. We have a winger that can play there with Timothy Weah, who’s played that for his club.

“We have center midfielders who can play there with Weston [McKennie] and Yunus [Musah], and then we have center backs that we’re looking at — can they play there?”

Outside of Scally and Moore, the player with the most experience at fullback in recent seasons is Weah, who has primarily played there with Lille and Juventus. With the USMNT, though, Weah has featured almost exclusively as a winger.

McKennie and Musah played sporadically at right back for Juventus and AC Milan, respecitvely, this season, but both played more frequently in central midfield.

As he mentioned, Berhalter also has several center backs on his roster he could try out wide, including Mark McKenzie, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Chris Richards.

The picture will likely become more clear for Berhalter after his team’s upcoming training camp and friendlies, which could feature some different looks in terms of a defensive formation.

“We just wanted the ability in this training camp to have options, to have flexibility, some of it that may revolve around a back three,” the coach said. “But the first objective is to see how we’re going to fill that right-back position because we know that we’re going to be missing Sergiño.”

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Dest future unclear as PSV reportedly declines €10m purchase clause

A convoluted situation has thrown Dest’s future at PSV into question

Sergiño Dest seemed set to convert his successful first season with PSV into a longer stay, but a new development has thrown the U.S. men’s national team right back’s future into uncertainty.

Eindhovens Dagblad reported on Thursday that PSV has decided to decline a €10 million purchase clause built into the loan deal with Barcelona that sent the 23-year-old to the Eredivisie for the 2023-24 season.

Dest was superb for PSV throughout a campaign that saw the club storm to both a 25th Dutch crown and the knockout stages of the Champions League.

However, on April 20 Dest suffered what turned out to be a torn ACL in training, and will be sidelined for several months at minimum.

Despite the injury, PSV manager Peter Bosz expressed strong interest in signing Dest to a permanent contract, praising the USMNT defender as a good fit for both his system and within the locker room.

It wasn’t the first time an authority at PSV said something along those lines. In December, sporting director Earnie Stewart said that the Dutch power would “probably do something” with the purchase clauses for both Dest and USMNT teammate Malik Tillman this summer.

Dest had also said he was enjoying his time with PSV, though his interest in staying further was offered in measured terms.

“I just want to go for my development and where I can play the most,” said Dest in April, just days before suffering his injury. “I have really been able to play my way up again [at PSV] and I want to continue to do so. Wherever my future lies, I just want to be able to play and develop myself.”

PSV may wait to sign Dest for free

Since then, two factors have complicated the matter. The first issue had crept into the discussion even before Dest’s injury: the combination of an eight-figure transfer fee and Dest’s desire to stay on wages in line with those in his contract with Barcelona is more than PSV was prepared to spend.

Second, the Eindhovens Dagblad report noted that Dest’s injury has removed the urgency to get a deal done quickly, as the fullback will almost certainly miss the first half of the 2024-25 season.

The theory goes that PSV could simply wait for Dest to enter the final six months of his deal with Barça on January 1, 2025. At that point, they could offer Dest a contract that would begin immediately upon the end of his time with Barcelona.

Doing so would allow PSV to bring Dest in without shelling out the €10 million fee, but that approach is not without risk. ESPN has reported that Ajax is also interested in Dest, while his performance with PSV has surely caught the eye of clubs across Europe.

Any club can offer Dest a pre-contract at the same time PSV reportedly intends to, opening the door to the USMNT man making his return elsewhere.

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USMNT and PSV right back Dest confirms torn ACL

The fullback is staring at a lengthy recovery that will likely see him out for the rest of 2024

The news was expected, but Sergiño Dest wanted to deliver it himself: The U.S. men’s national team right back has a torn ACL.

Dest made the announcement through his social media channels and his club side PSV on Wednesday, saying: “I want to give you an update on the injury myself. I tore my ACL. Hearing it [the news] was very painful. I will be out for a long period of time.

“Soon I will be operated on and then I will work on my recovery. It will be tough for me. I know that I will come out of this stronger, that’s for sure. For the rest, it is now to hope for the best and find the old version of myself again.”

The news was expected after PSV announced Dest would be out for an “extended period” after suffering a serious knee injury in training on April 20.

The 23-year-old will likely miss the remainder of 2024, including the USMNT’s participation in the Copa América this summer.

Dest’s club future is uncertain. The fullback had a standout campaign with PSV, which has a reported €10 million purchase option when his loan from Barcelona expires at the end of this season.

Even after the injury, PSV head coach Peter Bosz made clear that the club would still like to activate that option.

“He also just played well actually all season. Then you want to keep him. The same goes for the club, actually. I think they would also like to keep him,” Bosz said last week.

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PSV show support for Dest after USMNT defender’s knee injury

PSV showed more support for Dest before proceeding to demolish Heerenveen

Sergiño Dest has to be feeling the love at PSV these days.

PSV’s players came out for Thursday’s match with Heerenveen in shirts reading “Sterkte Sergiño” on the front, and with Dest’s number 8 on the back. “Sterkte” is a Dutch expression meaning “strength” or “courage.”

The U.S. men’s national team defender will be out for an extended period after suffering a knee injury in training last week.

While Dest’s absence has created a new worry for the USMNT, PSV has been very supportive. After the injury, manager Peter Bosz made clear that he’d like to see the club make Dest’s loan from Barcelona a permanent transfer. Dest’s loan contract with PSV is said to include a €10 million purchase option.

Meanwhile, PSV followed up its latest message of encouragement for Dest by completely obliterating Heerenveen.

Dest’s USMNT teammate Malik Tillman had two goals and an assist in the game’s first 11 minutes as PSV robbed the match of any mystery. Despite being the away team, the Eredivisie leaders would pour it on, winning 8-0.

The result primed Eindhoven for a big party, as PSV could finish the night by clinching the club’s 25th Eredivisie crown. The victory at the Abe Lenstra Stadium left the Boeren 12 points clear of second-placed Feyenoord, who play Go Ahead Eagles later on Thursday.

Should Feyenoord fail to win that match, PSV will lift the league trophy for the first time since 2017-18.

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USMNT has no proven replacement for Dest, says Lalas

At least one ex-USMNT defender has doubts about the options behind the injured right back

With Sergiño Dest expected to miss this summer’s Copa América with a knee injury, Alexi Lalas says the U.S. men’s national team is facing a “huge” problem.

“I think he is — when he is healthy — an in-pen starter for this national team,” said Lalas of the PSV defender, who suffered an unspecified, long-term knee injury in training this past Saturday. “[Dest] has been vital in terms of up and down that right-hand side, providing an incredible talent and ability with the ball, incredible speed.”

Speaking on his State of the Union podcast, Lalas went on to declare that no other USMNT right back has been pushing Dest for the starting job, creating a pickle for the team going into a massive summer tournament.

“The big problem for Gregg Berhalter and this team is nobody — like the No. 9 position — has yet stepped up and even challenged, even remotely challenged, [Dest],” said Lalas. “At times in the past when we have seen players play in that position, the [Joe] Scallys and stuff, they have not shown that they’re even close to stepping into his shoes right now.”

Scally is the obvious choice to replace Dest, but his form at Borussia Mönchengladbach has been iffy at best this season. Additionally, Scally plays the position much differently, taking fewer risks and offering less going forward than Dest, who functions as an X-factor for the USMNT.

Lalas noted that Berhalter has “possibilities of doing some different things,” which could mean a shift to a back three, or experimenting with players in new positions. Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, and Tim Weah all have right back or right wingback experience, for example, though all three are seen as locked-in starters elsewhere for the USMNT.

Dest at least got some good news on the club front on Wednesday, with PSV boss Peter Bosz stating that he’d like the club to sign the USMNT defender to a permanent deal from Barcelona.

The 23-year-old joined the Eredivisie giants on loan this season, and his frosty relationship with Barça manager Xavi — who will reportedly stick around for the 2024-25 campaign — has boosted the chances of a full transfer this summer.

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PSV boss Bosz wants to sign Dest permanently despite serious injury

The USMNT right back is set to be sidelined until 2025

PSV head coach Peter Bosz said that his side still wants to sign Sergiño Dest on a permanent basis even after a serious knee injury.

Dest suffered the injury in training on Saturday and though the extent hasn’t officially been revealed, multiple reports have indicated that the right back tore his ACL and will be sidelined for the remainder of 2024.

The 23-year-old has had a standout campaign with the Dutch side, which has a reported €10 million purchase option when his loan from Barcelona expires at the end of this season.

Though the fullback will miss a significant part of the 2024-25 campaign, Bosz said at a press conference on Wednesday that he still hopes to have Dest at his disposal.

“I am talking for myself as a coach and as a staff,” Bosz said. “I would very much like to have him there. It clicked in the way we played. It clicked as a person. It clicked with the player group.

“He also just played well actually all season. Then you want to keep him. The same goes for the club, actually. I think they would also like to keep him there.”

PSV announces Dest out for ‘extended period’ with knee injury

The USMNT defender looks set for a long spell on the sideline

PSV has announced that defender Sergiño Dest will be out for an “extended period” with what appears to be a serious knee injury.

The U.S. national team defender suffered the injury in training on Saturday, and the early signs are clearly not good.

“Sergiño Dest suffered what appears to be a serious knee injury during Saturday’s training session,” a club statement said.

“How long the winger will be sidelined is still being investigated. That it will be an extended period is almost certain.”

Though the length of Dest’s absence is not yet known, the language in PSV’s statement immediately makes him a major doubt for the Copa América.

The USMNT kicks off the tournament in just two months when it faces Bolivia on June 23. Dest was almost certain to start at right back for the USMNT at the intercontinental tournament.

More to follow…

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USMNT captain Tim Ream justifiably called out Sergiño Dest over his embarrassing tantrum and red card

Dest had one of the uglier meltdowns we’ve seen.

The U.S. men’s national team qualified for the 2024 Copa America and advanced in the CONCACAF Nations League on Monday, but it certainly didn’t happen in the way the team would have preferred.

Heading into the second leg up 3-0 against 99th-ranked Trinidad & Tobago, the USMNT lost 2-1 and played much of the match down a man. The familiar score line and loss to Trinidad was embarrassing enough, but Sergiño Dest’s behavior on the field was on a different level of shameful.

Dest was shown a red card in the 39th minute after frustrations about officiating led to him kicking the ball towards the stands and shouting at the referee as his teammates desperately tried to calm the PSV defender down.

Though the USMNT was already playing an uninspired match, the team was up 1-0 at the time. Being forced to play a man down changed the entire dynamic of the game, and Trinidad responded with two unanswered goals. While the USMNT did hold on to the aggregate advantage, the players were visibly livid with Dest after the match.

Captain Tim Ream didn’t disclose what the players said to Dest in the locker room, but he didn’t hold back on his disappointment with Dest in the postgame press conference. You almost never see a player speak about a teammate like this, and in Ream’s case, he was totally justified for it.

Dest did apologize for his meltdown after the match, but that had to be one awkward flight back to the U.S. (and back to PSV with USMNT teammates Ricardo Pepi and Malik Tillman).

USMNT fans were also furious with Dest. He really had no excuse for that tantrum.

PSV’s USMNT trio made some history in a bad night at Arsenal

For the first time ever, three U.S. internationals shared the same UEFA Champions League pitch

For the first time ever, three U.S. internationals played in the same UEFA Champions League game. That is an accomplishment worth celebrating. As for the game itself? Much less so.

PSV trio Sergiño Dest, Malik Tillman and Ricardo Pepi all shared the field on Wednesday, but the Dutch side was blown away in a 4-0 defeat to Arsenal to kick off both teams’ group-stage campaigns.

Dest played the full match, while Tillman came on midway through the second half and Pepi was introduced in second-half stoppage time.

In particular, it was a rough night for Dest, who tried and mostly failed to contain Bukayo Saka on the right side of Arsenal’s attack. The first and third goal for the Gunners could at least partially be blamed on Dest.

First, he completely switched off and allowed Saka to run past him and score on a rebound.

Dest would later get sucked inside and was unable to close down Gabriel Jesus quickly enough, as the Brazilian had plenty of time to take a touch and fire home Arsenal’s third goal.

After the game, PSV head coach Peter Bosz admitted that Arsenal’s superior quality was the difference, adding that his team did not defend well in its own box.

“[Our players] worked, they played with the ball, but the difference in quality was too great,” Bosz said.

“I’m willing to take a critical look at myself. They defended well in their box, we did not in ours. Then you run into a major defeat. If we play more at this level more, we’ll learn from these mistakes. I hope we can see that in the second leg in December, against the best team in the group and one of the best teams in the world.”

PSV will also face Lens and Sevilla in a difficult Group B.

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