Barcelona nightmare for Sergino Dest ends with permanent PSV Eindhoven move

The 23-year-old spent last season on loan at the Eredivisie side, where he suffered a serious injury during first-team training in the month of April.

Dest picked up an ACL injury which is set to keep him on the sidelines until the early part of 2025, when the defender will look to get his career in the Netherlands back on track.

The United States international was therefore not available to Gregg Berhalter for this summer's Copa America, where the Stars and Stripes are gunning for their first-ever pan-American title.

Earning 33 caps for his country since making a senior debut in 2019, Dest is a big miss for the competition's hosts, who are not guaranteed to progress into the knockout stages at this point.

Barcelona confirm Dest's PSV move

Following a four-year stint on the books at Camp Nou, Dest's time as a Barcelona player has come to a low-key conclusion, with the defender heading permanently to PSV.

With his contract in Catalonia expiring this summer, the 23-year-old has switched to the Dutch giants on a free transfer, representing a smart bit of business by the Eredivisie champions.

Dest has put pen to paper on a four-year deal, meaning that he is contracted to the Philips Stadion club until the conclusion of the 2027-28 campaign.

Supporters will have to wait to catch a glimpse of the American as a permanent Eindhoven player, though, as the full-back is likely to require the remainder of 2024 to recover from his long-term knee injury.

As a result, Dest is set to miss the entirety of PSV's eight-game schedule in the league phase of this season's revamped Champions League.

Focusing on rehabilitation

Following official confirmation of his switch to PSV, Dest spoke of his delight after securing a permanent home in Eindhoven, as well as his eagerness to get back out on the pitch.

"First of all, PSV believes in me and I am greatly appreciated here. I got to know the club as incredibly warm, like I have never experienced that anywhere before," Dest told PSV's website on Saturday afternoon.

"These are important aspects for someone in my situation and give me confidence that I can recuperate well here. Once the time has come, it is very nice that the game we play here suits me.

"I'm really looking forward to making minutes again, being important and winning titles."