Preparations for the next season are underway at FC Barcelona, and Xavi will use the pre-season to assess his team before the competitive games start. This pre-season will allow Xavi to try out different schemes and tactics going into the next season and allow out-of-favour players to impress the coach and improve their chances of first-team action.
One such player who would be looking forward to such an opportunity is Sergino Dest. According to SPORT, the player has been called up for the first day of work after vacations, as his loan with AC Milan has ended, and the club is open to giving him another chance to impress.
After a promising start, Dest has been unable to impress any of the Barcelona coaches he worked under and is deemed surplus to requirements at the club. However, no offer has been received for him as yet, as his loan stint in Italy was also unable to get the attention of any interested clubs.
Despite looking for other solutions to their right-back problem, Barcelona have not been able to solve this issue up to now. Ivan Fresneda has been the latest player linked with the club in this position, but the problems with the wage cap make an approach for him difficult for now.
Thus, Xavi and Barcelona are open to trying out the American once again in the pre-season, and the player himself is also fully focused and motivated to get an important role in the squad. Therefore, Xavi will offer a chance to Dest in the first pre-season friendly, and then a decision about his future will be made on the basis of this performance.
Dest himself wants to continue as a Barcelona player, and the club also believes he can be an important part of the squad if he is fully committed and focused. His speed and attacking skills are valued by the club, but his perseverance and tactical ability are clear weaknesses in his game. Thus, Dest will have to improve on these aspects to gain Xavi’s trust and remain at the club going forward.
