Manchester United transfer target Sergino Dest is free to leave Barcelona, manager Xavi has hinted.
United have been linked to Dest for several weeks, recently connected with a move by Spanish newspaper Sport earlier in August, following links from 90Min in May.
Erik ten Hag managed Dest at Ajax, before Barcelona bought him for £23.8 million.
The USA international is surplus to requirements now at Barcelona, not even making the bench for their opening game of the season against Rayo Vallecano last week.
READ MORE: Confirmed Manchester United transfers, ins, outs, loans, releases for 2022/23
Dest is free to leave
Speaking at a press conference ahead of Barcelona’s match with Real Sociedad on Sunday night, Xavi explained he has told Dest he is free to leave.
Quoted by NU.nl, Xavi said: “We’ve talked to him and he knows his situation here.”
Barcelona also need to sell some of their fringe players to raise funds to offset their summer incomings. USA international Sergino Dest is among those who can go.
Xavi also hit out at the length of the transfer window, commenting: “This is not a good situation for the players who are allowed to leave, but also not for the coaches. The transfer market should close before the competition starts. I think it is poorly organised. You can’t work quietly in the first weeks of the season.”
The Premier League did end the transfer window early in 2019, but the rest of Europe chose not to follow suit, so the dates were reverted back to normal. The deadline this year is on September 1.
Manchester United are looking for a right-back to compete with Diogo Dalot, and Sergino Dest is one option.
Another is Borussia Dortmund’s Thomas Meunier, The Telegraph report, who was an unused substitute at the weekend as they lost 3-2 at home to Werder Bremen.
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