In a recent report from The Mirror, it was stated that Barcelona and Manchester United are planning to swap Sergino Dest and Aaron Wan-Bissaka before the transfer window comes to a close. It is understood that Erik Ten Hag wants to reunite with the United States International as he had made his break under him at Ajax, prior to joining the Catalan club.
Dest’s Campaign With Barcelona Last Season
Dest had a decent campaign at Nou Camp as he has put in a lot of effort on the right side of Barcelona’s defence. The 21-year-old has made 30 appearances for the Spanish Giants this season, grabbing three assists on all fronts.
The American talent has averaged 1.5 tackles, 1.8 dribbles, 0.8 clearances and 0.9 key passes per game in La Liga. He has even been excellent when distributing the ball from the right flank after completing 92.4% of his attempted passes in the top tier of Spanish football (stats via whoscored).
Should Xavi Cut Him Loose?
Dest is a decent dribbler of the ball, he can make a few dangerous runs down the right flank and hold the ball confidently under pressure. He excels at distributing possession to his teammates and playing his way out from the back. Furthermore, he is a solid tackler of the ball as he doesn’t mind putting his foot into a tackle. However, he lacks productivity in the final third which has limited his appearances and minutes on the pitch last season.
The 21-year-old is primarily a right-back but remains versatile to feature on the opposite flank and play as a right-sided wide player in the midfield. He still has a lot of room for development and can rise up to his full potential under Ten Hag’s guidance.
Therefore, a swap deal with Manchester United could be beneficial for both parties as a move to Old Trafford would help the American full-back regain his confidence and the Catalan giants would receive Aaron Wan-Bissaka who’s a more tenacious defender in his half.
