Barcelona and Ajax are reportedly in advanced talks to sign 24-year-old Moroccan defender Noussair Mazraoui in a swap deal involving Sergino Dest.
According to a report by Spanish publication AS, Sergino Dest could return to Ajax a little over a year after he left the Dutch club to join Barcelona. The Catalan giants are in advanced talks to sign 24-year-old right-back Noussair Mazraoui as part of a swap deal involving the USMNT defender.
Noussair Mazraoui joined the fabled Ajax academy as a nine-year-old in July 2006 and has since established himself as a key figure in the first-team setup at the club. The Moroccan defender has been particularly boisterous this season, chipping in with four goals and three assists in 21 outings across all competitions.
However, the Dutch giants are in a precarious position over the 24-year-old’s long-term future, as he is in the final year of his contract. Such a situation has captured the attention of several big-name clubs across Europe, with Barcelona at the front of the queue of suitors.
The interest from Barcelona makes a world of sense, considering Xavi Hernandez has not been impressed by Sergino Dest’s performances in his short reign as the Barcelona boss. With Sergi Roberto’s performance levels dipping alarmingly, it behoves the Blaugrana to sign a right-back at the earliest possible opportunity.
To that end, Mazraoui has emerged as a viable target for Barcelona, with the 24-year-old himself keen on joining the club. What also makes the Moroccan defender an attractive option for Barcelona is the fact that he is in the final year of his contract with Ajax.
However, the Catalan giants are now accelerating their efforts to sign Mazraoui, who could arrive at Camp Nou in the January transfer window. According to AS, Barcelona and Ajax are in advanced talks over a surprise swap deal involving Mazraoui and Sergino Dest, whose days at the club are numbered.
However, with several other marquee clubs in Europe keen on signing him, it will be interesting to see if Dest is open to returning to Ajax. If so, then the swap deal involving Mazraoui and the USMNT international could go through in the coming weeks, allowing the 24-year-old to join Barcelona earlier than anticipated.
