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.
"When we have seen players play in that position, they have not shown that they're even close to stepping into [Sergiño Dest's] shoes."@StatManMosse and @AlexiLalas react to Dest's injury that will likely sideline him for Copa América 🇺🇸
🎧 Full Pod ➡️ https://t.co/fMferz9k9g pic.twitter.com/HXptgESwvI
— Alexi Lalas' State of the Union Podcast (@SOTUWithAlexi) April 23, 2024
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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