Barcelona and Manchester United are reportedly in discussions over a swap deal that would take Sergino Dest to Old Trafford with Aaron Wan-Bissaka going the other way.
The United States international is a transfer target for United and was handed his professional debut by Erik ten Hag when making his breakthrough at Ajax, prior to joining Barca in a £22million deal in 2020. The 21-year-old has clocked up 72 first-team appearances for the Catalan club over two seasons.
Dest has had to deal with competition from utility player Sergi Roberto and January signing Dani Alves in the right-back position at the Camp Nou, but Barca did not extend the short-term contract of Alves with the Brazilian subsequently hitting out at the manner of his exit from the club.
Dest has not featured for Barca this season with boss Xavi Hernandez instead playing Ronald Araujo – provisionally a central defender – in the right-back slot. Xavi was unsuccessful in his attempts to land Cesar Azpiliceuta, who instead signed a contract renewal at Chelsea this summer, and Barca are now keen to sign a natural right-back to replace the American.
The belief at the Camp Nou is centred around Dest not offering enough defensive cover for a side who like to enjoy territorial dominance in the opposition half and they would prefer a more defensively-minded option in that position. For United, they admire Dest's attacking quality and, aged just 21, his scope for further development.
Andreas Christensen, Franck Kessie, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Jules Kounde have all joined Barca's ranks over a busy summer, with more arrivals expected. Chelsea wing-back Marcos Alonso is thought to be close to joining the club.
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A report in Sport now outlines how United are not only interested in signing Dest from Barca but that talks have opened upon the possibility of Wan-Bissaka - who is also wanted by former club Crystal Palace - moving the other way.
The 24-year-old was a regular under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford but was frozen out under Ralf Rangnick, with Diogo Dalot preferred in the position in the second half of last season.
Dalot has also been Ten Hag's first choice at right-back as Wan-Bissaka has played just four minutes across four Premier League matches for United to date – as a late substitution against Liverpool earlier this month.
It is the latest development in a busy closing week of the summer transfer window for United, who are close to agreeing a deal to sign forward Antony from Ajax and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka from Newcastle.
