According to reports, Manchester United and Barcelona are in talks to exchange the two right backs, who have recently lost favor at their respective teams
According to reports, Barcelona and Manchester United are in talks on a trade that would send Aaron Wan-Bissaka in one direction and Sergio Dest to Old Trafford.
United is interested in signing the American international who was given his professional debut by Erik ten Hag when breaking through at Ajax before joining Barca in a £22 million deal in 2020. Over the course of two seasons, the 21-year-old made 72 starts for the Catalan club.
In the right-back position at Camp Nou, Dest has had to contend with competition from utility player Sergi Roberto and January addition Dani Alves. However, Barca chose not to renew Alves’ short-term contract, and the Brazilian later criticized the way he was let go.
Dest has not played for Barca this season since manager Xavi Hernandez has Ronald Araujo, who is currently a central defender, playing at the right-back position. Cesar Azpiliceuta, who this summer renewed his contract with Chelsea instead of signing with Barcelona, was the target of Xavi’s failed attempt to sign him, and now Barca are looking to sign a natural right-back to take his position.
The consensus at Camp Nou is that Dest doesn’t provide enough defensive cover for a team that likes to dominate the opposition’s half, and they would prefer a more defensively-minded alternative in that position. Dest’s offensive prowess and, at just 21, his potential for growth are admired by United.
Over the course of a hectic summer, Barca has welcomed new players including Andreas Christensen, Franck Kessie, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, and Jules Kounde, with more coming. Marcos Alonso, a wingback for Chelsea, is rumored to be close to joining the team.
According to a recent report in Sport, United are not only interested in signing Dest from Barcelona, but conversations have also begun over the prospect of Wan-Bissaka heading in the opposite direction, as his previous club Crystal Palace is also interested in him.
The 24-year-old played regularly for Old Trafford under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but Diogo Dalot was preferred in the position in the second half of the previous season, and the player was frozen out under Ralf Rangnick.
Dalot has also been Ten Hag’s first option at right-back because Wan-Bissaka has only appeared for four minutes in United’s four Premier League games so far, all of which came against Liverpool late in the month.
It is the most recent development in a frantic final week of the summer transfer season for United, who are close to reaching agreements to acquire goalkeeper Martin Dubravka from Newcastle and attacker Antony from Ajax.
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