Sergino Dest has been left in limbo with Serie A giants AS Roma reportedly weighing up abandoning pursuing the Barcelona defender.
According to a report by Italian outlet Calciomercato, Sergino Dest might not join AS Roma in the summer transfer window. The Serie A giants are considering ending the pursuit of the Barcelona defender as they are concerned about his physical condition.
Sergino Dest joined Barcelona from Ajax in October 2020, with the Blaugrana hoping to have finally landed a long-term heir to Dani Alves. Fast forward 18 months, and Alves is back at Camp Nou, with Dest becoming a rotation option for Barcelona instead of the undisputed first-choice right-back.
The 21-year-old has made 27 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona this season, chipping in with three assists. While he has been much improved in the past month, the Catalan giants are still hot on the trail of Noussair Mazraoui. And the Ajax defender’s arrival could push Dest out of Barcelona, with the situation capturing the attention of AS Roma.
The Serie A giants are in the market for a right-back heading into the summer transfer window. That is because Rick Karsdorp is surplus to requirements at Stadio Olimpico, while Ainsley Maitland-Niles is unlikely to join AS Roma permanently ahead of the 2022/23 season.
With Davide Santon on the wrong side of 30, signing a right-back has become necessary for AS Roma ahead of the 2022/23 season. Dest has thus emerged as a viable target for the Giallorossi, with the Barcelona defender open to join them in the summer transfer window.
But while the Serie A giants have been weighing up a summer move for Dest, they are now considering abandoning his pursuit. That is because they are not convinced by his physical condition and are unsure whether the Barcelona defender can cut it for them on a weekly basis.
While Dest has plenty of other suitors, including Leeds United, the possible end of AS Roma’s interest would be a blow for the Barcelona defender. The USMNT international is thus in limbo, and it will be interesting to see if he can find a solution to his woes, either at Barcelona or some other club.
