According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona loanee Sergino Dest is on the radars of Bundesliga club Union Berlin heading into the summer transfer window.
Having finished fourth in the Bundesliga, Union Berlin will be playing in the UEFA Champions League next season. And they are looking to reinforce their roster in the summer, with Dest emerging as a target for the club.
Reports in Germany last month had hinted that Union Berlin were closing in on a loan agreement with the player which would be made official at the end of the season.
But as per the latest update, Barcelona do not wish to loan out the USMNT international. Instead, the Blaugrana are keen to offload him permanently so as to help their Financial Fair Play situation.
Signed from AFC Ajax in 2020, Dest never really got going at Barça. And having fallen completely out of favour under Xavi Hernandez during the 2021/22 season, he was shipped out on loan to AC Milan last summer.
The right-back’s time in Italy has been nothing short of a nightmare as he has played just 14 times across all competitions for Stefano Pioli’s men.
Milan had the option to sign Dest permanently, but they will not be utilising it and he will return to Barcelona before likely moving on to a different club.
Barcelona, themselves, are in desperate need of a new right-back in the summer having gone through the season with Jules Kounde as a makeshift operator in the role.
But there is little to no chance that Dest will stay at the club and get another crack at proving himself under Xavi. With Union Berlin pushing for his signing, it remains to be seen if they are willing to shell out money to sign him permanently.
