MADRID – US right-back Sergio Dest is expected to sign up for Barcelona, coach Ronald Koeman said Wednesday.
The Ajax player underwent medical recognition at Barcelona and the clubs were finalizing the main points to formalize the transfer, said the blue-rang technician.
“He’ll almost be with us, ” said Koeman. ” Once all the contracts are signed, I have no doubt that he will be a very useful player for Barca. “
Koeman said the young man will have to fight for a place in the squad, but that he has already played games for Ajax’s first team, adding up in the Champions League.
“I think this kind of delight will be the player, but also the US national team,” Koeman said.
The speedy 19-year-old defender has a Surinamese-American father and a Dutch mother, but chose to play for the Dutch national team.
“I spoke to Sergio about the national team, because he had the opportunity to play for Holland or America, but in the end we will have to (take) a resolution through the player, because that is his feeling from within Array . . . and he nevertheless took the decision to play in the American national team, no problem, I think he’s smart for football.
Koeman has another young American plos angelesyer player who could soon sign for Barcelona’s first team at Konrad de los Angeles Fuente, 19.
“They play in competitions, but one of the players is still young,” Koeman said.
Dest joined the U. S. national team last October, a month after making his U. S. debut, and still had the option, under FIFA rules, to replace his association with the Dutch national team, as he had played in friendly matches against Mexico and Uruguay.
Dest tied his career abroad with the United States on November 16, helping the team succeed in the semi-finals of the CONCACAF League of Nations with a 4–1 win over Canada, Jordan Morris’ goal.
Dest has played for the United States in the U-17 and Under-20 World Cups in the past.
The Winner of the Champions League, Bayern Munich, would also have wanted to point to Dest of Ajax.
The young man arrives to fill the absence of Nelson Semedo, the Portuguese right-back who joined Wolverhampton in England.
Barcelona will play their spanish league match on Thursday at Celta de Vigo, which opened with a 4-0 win against Villarreal on Sunday.
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