Barcelona right-back Sergino Dest has reportedly emerged as a transfer target for Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to Corriere dello Sport, AS Roma are considering making a swoop for Barcelona defender Sergino Dest in the upcoming transfer window as Jose Mourinho seeks to bolster his options at right-back.
Dest joined Barcelona in the summer of 2020 from AFC Ajax in a deal worth around €25 million but has found life difficult in Catalonia. While he featured regularly in his debut season, the USMNT international wasn’t always convincing. And he has found game-time hard to come by in the ongoing campaign, especially following the arrival of Dani Alves.
Dest struggled initially under new manager Xavi Hernandez but has improved in recent weeks. Nevertheless, his future at Camp Nou remains uncertain as the Catalan giants are pushing to sign his former Ajax teammate Noussair Mazraoui on a free transfer and plan to extend Dani Alves’ contract by another year.
And, AS Roma could now provide Dest with an escape route in the summer, with manager Jose Mourinho and director Tiago Pinto scouring the market for reinforcements in the right-back position.
As things stand, the Giallorossi have just Rick Karsdorp as an option at right-back. He has had to play relentlessly due to the lack of a proper cover in the position – something that Mourinho is intent on addressing before his second season at the Stadio Olimpico.
It has led to links with Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot. But the Portuguese international could be in line for a contract extension at Old Trafford after his rise to prominence under interim manager Ralf Rangnick. It has forced Roma to look at other options in the market, with Dest emerging as an alternative.
The 21-year-old has been linked with a return to former club Ajax. But a chance to play under a manager like Jose Mourinho could compel him to make the jump to Italy in the summer. At the same time, there is also a strong possibility that the USMNT international decides to stay put at Barcelona, where he is contracted until 2025, and fight for his place in the side.